One Headlight
by jules456
Summary: Ever wonder what happened after Acoustic3, when the kids were a little older, a little wiser, a little badder? Still Naley, Leyton, and new couples with new characters. With 12 kids between the couples and Jake there's gonna be drama right? RR
1. So long ago

One Headlight

Between Jake, Peyton and Luke, Haley and Nathan there are 12 kids. It is only expected for chaos to ensue. The Scott cousins are all at different points in their lives, where will life take each of them?

Logan Scott; 16

Hannah Elizabeth Scott; 15

Cassidy Faith Scott; 13

Rebecca Charity Scott;12

Kylie Rhea 11 Scott;

Gabriel Nathan Scott;7

Jacob Lucas Scott;7

Spencer Scott; 18

Cody Alexandra Scott; 15

Tessa Katherine Scott; 13

Gunner Paige Scott; 11

Jenny Jagelski; 19

**PLEASE READ AND REVIEW THIS STORY. If you dont like it I don't know if I will post more because I have so many going right now!**

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Chapter 1: "So long ago"

16 year old Logan Scott sat at her lunch table munching on her lunch, listening to the incoherent ramblings of her best friend Aspen Wood.

She and Aspen had met the first day of kindergarten. Aspen was the only person that she found that had more siblings then her. As Aspen described it her parents were new-age hippies, and they didn't believe in birth control. Luckily Aspen did. She was one of the strangest people that you would ever meet, so were her siblings. Their names were weird. There was Canyon, who was 15, he had a crush her little sister Hannah who was the same age. Then there was River, Phoenix, Dallas, Ridge, River, Horizon, Sunset, Breeze, and then there was Sara Jane. Nobody quite knew where that one came from.

"So what are your plans for the summer?" Aspen asked polishing off her third Twinkie.

"Spencer's going down to Tree Hill to work at his grandma's coffee shop over the summer before he goes to college so he asked me if I wanted to ride. I think that I may go. We'd stay for like two weeks and then go visit Jenny at her place down in Florida." Logan explained.

Now Logan was almost a spitting image of Brooke at her age, but on the flip-side she had the personality of Haley. She was smart, and pretty quiet. She kept to herself. Sure she made her share of mistakes, and tried out "herbal supplements" on several occasions, but that was just between she and Aspen. She would not be known around school at all if she was not best friends with Aspen and Spencer… EVERBODY knew Aspen, and Spencer was like her big brother. The basketball star that everyone idolized. Yup, she was known as Spencer Scott's cousin.

"And of course if I go my best friend is welcome!" Logan said winking at Aspen.

"Dude, of course I'm in. How could I pass up spending time in a confined area for extended amounts of time with Spencer Scott?" She said taking a spit of her water flirtatiously, tossing a strand of blonde hair over her shoulder. "Have your parents said that it was okay yet?"

Logan rolled her eyes.

"I haven't even asked. I bet they'll say no." Logan said leaning back in her chair

"Maybe they won't!" Aspen said hopefully

"I mean, you'd figure they would. They have so many kids doesn't it make sense for them to want to get rid of one for the summer? But with them you never know." Logan said in a defeated tone.

"The least you can do is ask. School gets out Friday. I don't know how long you can put it of."

Every once in awhile Aspen made sense. This was one of those times. The bell rang signaling the end of lunch.

The rest of the day passed quickly. They just had finals which Logan totally crammed for and was positive she aced.

At the end of the day she sat on the hood of Spencers car waiting for him, Hannah, her 15 tear old sister, and Cody, Spencers sister who was the same age. The she spotted Spencer approaching with two of his meat headed basketball playing friends.

"Hey." Spencer said walking up to the car.

Spencer had the same face as his father, with the eyes of his mother. His hair hung in loose curls around his face. He was a little more built than his father was at his age, and a little taller. Nobody was quite sure where he got his height from. Lucas, his dad said that it was probably from Dan, their grandfather. But Spencer had never met him, none of them actually had.

"Hey." Logan said getting off the hood of his car. It was old and beaten up now. It used to be his mothers.

"Spence, you gonna be at the party Thursday night? Rand's place, you know what that means." His friend Rocky asked

"I'm there." Spencer said.

"Kendall's gonna be there." His other friend Drew said winking at him. "Everyone wants to hit that!" He said high fiving Rocky.

"No man, you know I'm not interested in that." Spencer said

"Oh yeah, that's right, Scott's got a college girl." Rocky said raising his eyesbrows.

"Jenny Jagelski." Drew said looking up at the sky as if to praise god. "I wouldn't want Kendall if I had that either."

Logan rolled her eyes at the immature seniors.

"Are you ready?" She said getting in the front seat when she saw Cody and Hannah come up.

"Yeah, see you around guys." As the four teens piled into the car and sped off.

"God Spencer, when did you start driving like your mother?" Hannah commented more than asked

"NOBODY drives as bad as my mom!" Cody corrected her.

Logan knew what she meant. She had been in the car a time or two with Haley. Cody looked exactly like her brother, long curly untamed hair. Her eyes were a piercing blue. Hannah had chocolate brown hair, that contrasted with her light brown eyes. They were so light infact that against her hair sometimes they looked non-existent.

Spencer stopped at the Scott house… well the Scott house of his cousins.

"Call me later tonight about the trip?" Spencer asked

"Yeah." Logan said grinding her teeth as she got out of the car, Hannah trailing behind. Logan was not in any rush to ask her parents.

"What trip?" Hannah asked as she made her way to the front door.

"Nothing." Logan said too quickly.

She and Hannah used to always be close, but since high school the two began to drift apart. They were the first to get home, all of the younger kids were still in school. It would be at least a half an hour before middle schoolers Cassidy, Rebecca, and Kylie Rhea would be home, and an hour and a half before the troublesome twosome, other wise known as Jacob, and Gabe would be home. Today though her parents both had off. Haley didn't work at the coffee shops on Wednesdays, and her father had the week off because the kids were driving Haley crazy.

"Hey mom." Hannah said when she came in giving her mother a kiss on the cheek.

"How was your Algebra final?" Haley asked Hannah

"Um, I think I passed for what it's worth." Hannah said putting on a fake smile. "Actually River is coming over tonight and we're going to study for History." River was Aspen's little sister, and Canyon's twin.

"Sounds good." Haley said as Hannah kissed her on the cheek and ran upstairs. "How was your day?" Haley asked her eldest daughter

"Alright." Logan said slipping in the seat across from her mother.

Not a lot of people believed that Nathan and Haley were her parents, or Peyton and Luke were Spencers for that matter. They had them pretty young. Well her FATHER had her young. She knew that Haley wasn't her biological mother, but to her it made no difference. She had no interest in meeting this Brooke woman or having any kind of relationship with her. As far as she was concerned Haley had given birth to her.

"Actually I have a question to ask you?" Logan said scooting her chair in closer to the table

"What's up?" Haley asked

"Spencer wanted me to go with him back to Tree Hill for two weeks to visit Karen." Logan said.

"Why do I get the feeling that there's more?" Haley said knowing her daughter all too well.

"And then we'd go down to Florida to visit Jenny." Logan said quickly with a smile.

"So I am guessing that Spencer will be driving?" Haley asked

"Come on mom, his driving isn't that bad! He doesn't take after Aunt Peyton COMPLETELY you know!" She complained. "And his cars in good shape since Uncle Luke has the auto shop and-"

"I'll talk to your father when he gets home." Haley said.

"But mom!" Logan whined

"I said we'd talk, do you want me to change my mind." Haley said in a warning tone.

"Fine." Logan said slouching in her chair.

Right then a red-headed girl ran through the kitchen. She stopped when she saw Logan and Haley.

"Hey River." Haley said smiling warmly at the young girl.

"Hey Mrs. Scott." River said smiling. "Is Hannah around?" She asked

"Yeah, she's upstairs. You can go on up." Haley said.

"Thanks!" River said prancing up the stairs.

Right then Cassidy, Kylie Rhea, and Rebecca came in. Cassie was in 8th grade and going to the high school next year. Kylie Rhea was a sixth grader, and Rebecca was a 7th grader.

To look at them you could hardly tell that they were related. Cassie had light brown hair and tiny eyes, she was tall and thin, built like her father. Rebecca somehow turned out with dark red hair, she was average height and had freckles all over. She was so smart that they wanted her to skip a grade, but she opted not to for the time being. Kylie Rhea was small for her age She always wore her hair in two French braided pig tails, she had freckles on the bridge of her nose, and light brown hair. She was having a lot of trouble in school, but with Haleys help and a tutor she is doing better than before. Kylie was the last of the girls and always hung onto Nathan, 'Daddy's little girl.' It was enough to make Logan vomit.

"How was school?" Haley asked the girls as they raided the refrigerator.

"Hell." Cassie said causing Logan to chuckle.

"Language!" Haley warned.

"Mama, can I have some of this cake?" Kylie asked

"No. It's for the café. Why don't you have carrots or something." Haley suggested

"She's not a rabbit mom." Becca said

All of the girls sat down at the table as Logan got up.

"Where are you going?" Haley asked

"I'm meeting Aspen at the park. I'll be back later." Logan said grabbing her keys. "Remember talk to dad." She reminded her mother.

Spencer walked into his house and tossed his backpack on the floor.

"Hey." He said sitting at the table where his mother was sketching.

"Hey." Peyton responded not looking up from her work. "Are you packed for Tree Hill?" She asked

"Oh please mom, you know me better than that. Of course not." Spencer said walking over to the fridge, and taking a swig of orange juice from the carton.

"Spence, don't do that, that's gross." Peyton said pausing from her drawing to take a look at her son. "Do you know if Logan can ride with you yet?"

"I don't know. She's going to call me tonight." Spencer said as he closed the fridge.

A loud banging could be heard from upstairs.

"What the hell is that?" Spencer asked

"Gunner." Was all that Peyton needed to say.

That kid got into more trouble than humanly possible. When he and Kylie Rhea would play all bets of a peaceful day were off. He was the 6th grade terror.

"What'd he do now?"

"He knocked out some kid at school." Peyton said. "They sent him home early."

"Was it one of those little dorky kids again?" Spencer asked

"No, it was an eighth grader." Peyton said looking at her son.

"Maybe if you had named him something less hostile… like Kenny. Nobody goes wrong with Kenneth. But Gunner on the other hand, you're just asking for trouble." Spencer said.

"Are you done yet?" Peyton asked her son who shrugged. "Besides, he was almost Jaggar."

"So much better." Spencer said. "If not Kenneth then why not Eli, nobody really goes wrong with Eli either."

"Don't you have somewhere to be?" Peyton said laughing.

"No."

"Well then go to the auto shop and see your father. I'm not giving you money for this trip you know."

"Alright mom bye." Spencer said kissing his mother on the cheek.

As he was leaving the house he passed his little sister Tessa coming slowly up the walk. He stopped to see her.

"Hey Tess, how ya feeling?" He asked the 13 year old.

Spencer could hardly remember a time where Tessa wasn't sick at least every other week.

"Alright." She said drowsily.

"You're not looking to hot. I'm going to walk you inside." Spencer said taking her back pack and walking her inside. "Mom!" Spencer called inside. Peyton ran over as soon as she saw Tessa.

"Are you alright baby?" Peyton asked worriedly.

Tessa shrugged. She couldn't even lie about being sick anymore. It just wore her out.

"Spencer, can you carry her to her room?" Peyton asked him.

"No problem." Spencer said picking up his little sister. He turned to his mom. "She'll be okay." He said in a reassuring tone.

Aspen and Logan hung upside down on Aspen's bed. The two had just gotten stoned.

"I never knew that your ceiling was pink…" Logan said flipping off the bed, Aspen following.

"What'd the parentals say about the trip?"

"I just talked to my mom. She said she had to 'talk to my dad'." Logan said trying to use quotes but her fingers weren't working right.

"Do you ever wonder about Brooke?" Aspen asked

"No."

"Why not?" Aspen asked

"I don't know." Logan turned her head to look at her friend. "I look like her."

"How do you know?"

"I saw a picture at my Aunt Peytons house. They used to be best friends." Logan explained.

"Gotcha." Aspen said

"Dude, I've got the munchies." Logan said.

"Do you think you're more like Haley or Brooke?"

Logan took a moment to think.

"I don't know. I guess we'll find out huh?" She said looking at Aspen winking.

"Yeah, I guess we will. Now lets go get some food!" Aspen said as she raced her best friend downstairs.

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**Hey Again!**

**Other chapters will not be this long. It was the length that it was to introduce all of the kids. Alright, a little over view of what this story is going to be...**

**What happens on the Aspen/Logan/Spencer road trip?**

**Are Spencer and Jenny on the rocks?**

**One teen is having feeling for another... of the same sex**

**Tessa is going to have several obstacles to endure**

**A cutter**

**An anorexic...**

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**Hum... so many kids, so many problem to be had, why not? Don't worry. They're not crazy or anything. Their parents raised them right.**

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**XOXO Jules**

**READ, REVIEW, AND REQUEST IF YOU WANT MORE!**


	2. Don't really remember when

**Alright. I totally understand that this is very confusing right now, keeping all of the kis straight, so I am going to post a little about them really quick. I will brake up the scenes with those bar things to make it easier to understand.**

** (All of the adults in the story are 33ish by the way...)**

**Haley and Nathans Kids:**

**Logan; 16** : Nathan and Haleys oldest daughter. Her biological mother is Brooke, but she has lived with Nathan and Haleys since she was one and considers Haley her mother. She is trying to find herself and in the struggle may come across Brooke...

**Hannah Elizabeth;**** 15: **Her best friend is River Wood. She used to be very close with Logan, but feels Logan has been shutting her out of her life. She has a secret.

**Cassidy Faith; ****13: (Cassie)** Cassie had light brown hair and tiny eyes, she was tall and thin, built like her father. Cassie is an average student. You could consider her 'painfully normal,' as Haley was at that age.

** Rebecca Charity;****12 :** She turned out with dark red hair, she was average height and had freckles all over. She was so smart that they wanted her to skip a grade, but she opted not to for the time being.

**Kylie Rhea ****11;** Kylie Rhea was small for her age She always wore her hair in two French braided pig tails, she had freckles on the bridge of her nose, and light brown hair. She was having a lot of trouble in school, but with Haleys help and a tutor she is doing better than before. Kylie was the last of the girls and always hung onto Nathan, 'Daddy's little girl.'

**Gabriel Nathan;****7 :** One of the twins, Gabe is the eldest and the lesser of the two evils.

**Jacob Lucas;****7 :** Jacob spends the majority of his time at school in the quiet room.

**Peyton and Lukes Kids:**

** Spencer; 18:** Highschool basketball star just like his father. He is Mr. Popular, less broody than in his younger days. He is really close with his cousin Logan and dating Jenny

**Cody Alexandra; 15 :** She is quiet. Hannah her cousin is her bestfriend. She has a deep dark secret or two, and may not be as easy going and fun loving as she seems on the outside.

**Tessa Katherine; 13 :** Tessa has been sick almost her entire life. She has a rare immune deficency which causes her to be particularly susceptible to illness, but none the less keeps her spirits up.

**Gunner Paige; 11 :** He has extreme anger management problems that nobody is quite able to get to the root of.

**OTHER PEOPLE:**

**Jenny; 19:** Daughter of Jake, dating Spencer. She goes to College in Florida.

**Aspen Wood**: Logan wild best friend who has a crush on Spencer and more siblings than Logan!

**River Wood**: She is Aspens little sister and Hannahs best friend. She may have a little secret as well.

**Notes:**

I think that Cody may be based a little on me so... fun fun! Right...

Brooke will be in the story.

** Thanks to the reviewers! Keep it up!**

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** Chapter 2: "Don't really remember when"**"Hey honey." Nathan said opening up the door to the bedroom

"Hey." She responded as he took off his shirt and slipped into bed next to her.

He had just gotten back from playing basketball at the gym with Lucas.

"Please tell me that you showered at the gym?!" Haley said scooting away from him as he climbed in.

"Of course." He said leaning over giving her a kiss. "Did the kids drive you crazy while I was away?"

"Of course. But hey, what else is new?" Haley said laughing. "I am seriously thinking about medicating the twins."

"Well just think about it. In two weeks they are all going to be shipped off to camp, and then it's going to be you and me. Well besides Logan and Hannah but they can take care of themselves." He said kissing Haleys neck.

"Oh, that's right. I forgot to tell you. Spencer is driving out to Tree Hill to visit Karen, and then he's going down to Florida to visit Jenny."

"Spencer behind the wheel? With my daughter? Um, no." Nathan said.

"Come on Nathan. Really, he's not as bad as Peyton. Anyway Logan is almost 17, and I mean, it's only Tree Hill and Florida."

"But she's my baby girl." Nathan said whining.

"She's growing up. Besides you have four more to worry about. I think it's time to yanno, stretch her leash a little." Haley said shrugging.

"Fine!" Nathan said.

"Good, I'll go tell her." Haley said kissing Nathan and running up to the attic. Hannah and Logan have shared the attic since after the twins were born and they were seriously tight for room. Cassidy and Rebecca shared a room as well, and so did the twins. Only Kylie Rhea had her own room.

Haley pushed opened to attic door and climbed the stairs. Hannah and Logans beds were on opposite sides of the room. Hannah was on her side talking on the phone and flipping through a magazine, and Logan was on her bed painting her nails clear.

"Han, it's late, off the phone."

"Riv, my mom busted me, I've gotta go." Hannah said before clicking off the phone.

"I just talked to your dad." Haley said sitting on Logan's bed.

"About the trip?" Logan asked perking up.

"Yeah. He said that you can go." Haley said smiling.

"Oh my god are you serious!" Logan said jumping up and hugging her mother tightly.

"But we're going to have to have a serious talk before you go."

"Yeah, whatever you want." Logan said still smiling.

"Alright." Haley said climbing off of the bed. "Girls, it's time to go to sleep. You guys have finals tomorrow."

"Night mom, thanks!" Logan said.

"Night mom, I love you!" Hannah said.

"I love you both. Now sleep!" Haley ordered as she closed the door.

Hannah crawled across the room to her sisters bed.

"What's this trip about?" She asked her sister.

"I'm going to Tree Hill with Spencer and then we're going down to Florida to visit Jenny."

"How long are you going to be gone?"

"I don't know, probably the entire summer." Logan said with a smile.

"I thought that we were going to go camping for two nights, just you and me. You promised." Hannah reminded her. Logan felt a sudden twinge of guilt but pushed it away.

"Well you can go with Cody or somebody." Logan said.

"Ugh, you wouldn't even be going if mom and dad had seen your pupils when you got home." Hannah mumbled.

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"Duh!" Hannah said standing up walking back to her bed. "You're pupils were like the size of quarters!"

"You're not going to say anything are you?" Logan asked looking her little sister in the eye

"No, I promised you a long time ago I wouldn't. I don't brake my promises." Hannah said turning over in bed to face the wall.

Logan sat for a minute and thought about what her sister said. She really was letting her down… but what could she do? She picked up the phone and dialed Spencer's number.

"Hey Lo." Spencer said when she picked up.

"I can go!" Logan said excitedly

"Sweet." Spencer said. "So does that mean Aspen is coming?"

"If it's not a problem?" Logan asked hopefully.

"None at all. It'll be cool when we're in Florida, since I'm going to be with Jenny and all."

"Alright, we'll talk more tomorrow?"

"Yeah. Night kid." Spencer said

"Night Spencer." Logan said ending the conversation with her cousin.

She had heard the story about when they thought that she was Uncle Luke's daughter. She even had lived with him, after her mother abandoned her at her apartment. She wondered a lot what would have happened if she had been uncle Lukes. She loved her family and all, but Spencer would be the most awesome older brother. And Uncle Luke and Aunt Peyton were so much more laid back. Not to mention the fact that they didn't have seven kids. Oh well, what's done is done. She laid back and went to sleep.

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The next morning Spencer awoke to find something had just been thrown at his head.

"Get up Spence, you're going to be late for school." His dad said.

Spencer turned over in bed to see his father looking down at him.

"What?" Spencer asked

"School. Let's go." Lucas said pulling the covers out from under his son and he fell on the floor with a thump.

"Dad!" Spencer said as his dad left his room leaving him on the floor.

Lucas walked out of Spencers room to find Cody banging on the bathroom door.

"What's going on?" Lucas asked

"Tessa is taking FOREVER in the bathroom." Cody yelled, more into the bathroom door than at her father.

"Go use your mother and I's bathroom." Lucas said.

"Thanks!" Cody said running up the stairs as Peyton came down, holding tightly to Gunners arm.

"What'd he do now?" Lucas asked

"You don't want to know." Peyton said placing a kiss on Lukes cheek before dragging their youngest child downstairs.

Peyton looked at the stairs as she heard as sound that best could be described in the way of stampede.

"Mom, good news, I talked to Logan last night and she can ride down with me." Spencer said.

"Great." Peyton said as she glared at Gunner out of the corner of her eye. The kid was forever in trouble.

Tessa came downstairs with Cody following carefully behind her. Nobody ever rushed Tessa it only tired her out. Everyone had been more concerned about her than usual.

"Hey girls." Peyton said as the two entered the kitchen.

"Hey mom." Cody said as she started to get breakfast for she and Tessa. Tessa sat down at the table.

"Cody, don't you think it's a little hot for long sleeves?" Spencer asked his little sister.

Cody just shrugged.

"I like this shirt." She said.

Spencer shrugged dismissing the issue.

"Alright Co, we've gotta jet, we still have to pick up Logan and Hannah." He said kissing his moms cheek and running out of the house Cody following.

Lucas came into the kitchen

"Do you think it's odd that none of out kids take backpacks to school?" Peyton asked looking at the doorway her two children had just left out of

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Spencer pulled up outside of his cousins house and beeped his horn. Hannah and Logan ran out.

"Mornin' ladies." Spencer said unlocking the door.

"Hey." Hannah and Logan both said at the same time when they got in. They glanced at each other quickly and then looked away.

"I am so ready for school to be over." Cody said from the back seat.

"Two more days." Spencer said.

"Yeah and then ROAD TRIP!" Logan said smiling, Spencer high fived her.

Hannah rolled her eyes in the back seat. The gesture went unnoticed by everyone but Cody.

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After school that day River, Hannah, and Cody went down to the creek. The creek was where they always hung out. It was dirty and deserted. They were the only ones that ever dared to venture there.

"What's going on Han?" Cody asked from where she leaned standing against a big tree enjoying the shade.

"You shouldn't be smoking." Hannah said trying to turn the attention from her to her cousin. She and River were sitting next to one another under the tree facing Cody.

Cody looked down at the cigarette in her hands and shrugged.

"Yeah." River chimed in. "Every cigarette takes like five minutes off of your life."

"With luck." Cody said smirking and rolling her eyes as she took a deep drawl.

"Where do you get those from anyway?" Hannah asked.

"My mom hides them around the house. I guess she stopped when she got pregnant with me, but she's started up again. I know all of her hiding spots."

Nobody quite knew what to say. Cody could be a little off sometimes.

"I can't wait until Spencer leaves for Tree Hill. I wanna go through his room and find his porn collection. That'd piss him off." Cody said smiling.

"Yeah, Logan's going too." Hannah said rolling her eyes as she had done before that day in the car.

"Is that what you were upset about?" Cody asked tossing a stick around with her foot.

"I mean, I don't care if she's going, she just promised me that we were going on a camping trip together." Hannah said picking at the dirt.

"But she's going with Spencer…" Cody pieced together.

"Yeah. It's just like recently she forgot about me." Hannah said shrugging.

"I'll go camping with you." River said grabbing hold of Hannah's hand with a wide smile.

"Yeah?" Hannah asked putting her forehead against the other girls.

"Yeah!" River said.

"Hey! I'm coming too!" Cody said but neither girl turned around. It was right then that Cody knew…

These two girls were crushing on each other and didn't even know it.

**READ AND REVIEW**


	3. That's when they say I lost my only frie...

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Hey! Alright, hum what is there to say? This chapter is pretty long and introduces you more to the characters, the bigger drama will start next chapter! I promise! Now I know that people have adressed concerns, so I am just going to adress stuff to the reviewers names or w.e below. Lol.**

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**dolphinology:** That kind of confused me... haha, I'm not sure what to say either.

**MAVSFAN:** Thanky for the review. It made me happy. I will probably adress the drug thing because now people smoke pot and stuff so casually.

**HalesnLuke4ever:** I'm glad that you reviewed and were honest about how you felt with the relationship between River and Hannah. I really do respect your opinion, but I am not going to promise that they won't kiss or anything of the sorts. I think that being not being ok with it is alright, it is a matter of personal opinion. I personally think that love and attraction knows no gender, but I understand where you can be coming from biblically or otherwise. I myself am a christian and have had conflicting opinions about that, not that I'm gay or anything, I'm just saying. About it being disgusting and wrong, is just a matter of opinion. I personally have found that I don't believe either. I could get into it further but I don't really know the era of the feelings. Anyway I don't want to offend you with the writing or anything. I just want you to know that this topic will be explored in the story and while you may have you beliefs (which is cool), there will be others presented as well. Much love!

**Tardychick06:** You have no idea how much I love the fact that you have read so many of my stories you and ALWAYS review. Like I said with the two girls I like totally don't want to offend anyone or anything. I am just going to explore different perspectives. I plan to approach the relationship and it's development in a way that is not very different from how I would with a boy and a girl, because when it comes down to it they are just people with feelings for one another. Thanks for reading!

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**Anyone else, questions, comments, whatever, review or IM me, akeldama00. If anyone wants to flame lets not do that in a review but on IM please so I have a chance to defend myself. Bye kiddies! Much love!**

**xoxo Jules!**

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**Chapter 3: "That's when they say I lost my only friend"**

"Mom, I'm getting ready to go!" Spencer called up the stairs. He had loaded his one duffel bag for the entire summer into his car.

"Hold on real quick!" Peyton said. Moments later she appeared with Lucas in the kitchen where Spencer was waiting.

"Hey, I think I'm going to head out now because if I want to make good time then I've gotta jet now." Spencer explained.

"Alright." Peyton hugged him and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. "Be good, and call everyday." Peyton warned him.

"I will mom." Spencer said hugging her again.

Peyton squinted up at her son who was now way taller than her.

"Are you trying to grow facial hair?" She asked

Spencer rubbed the stubble growing on his chin.

"Maybe." He said in a sing-song voice.

"Here's a fifty, you worked, you've gotta pay your own way other than this." Luke said slapping some money into his son's hand.

"Thanks dad." Spencer said.

"Go say bye to your brother and sisters." Luke told him.

Spencer checked his watch but his father gave him a warning glare.

"Alright!" He said holding up his hands as he jogged up the stairs.

Lucas turned to his Peyton once Spencer was out of the kitchen.

"Do you trust him?"

"Not really." Peyton answered.

"Me either." Lucas said

Spencer pushed open the door to Gunners room. Gunner was sitting at his desk drawing a comic or something.

"What's up kid?" Spencer asked. Gunner just shrugged. "I'm about to go."

"Cool." Gunner said.

"Watcha drawing?" Spencer asked as he looked over his shoulder.

"Nothin'." Gunner said stuffing his papers into a drawer.

"I'm gonna miss you." Spencer told his little brother who now turned to face him. "Are you going to be good?"

Gunner looked down and shrugged.

"Will you try?"

"Yeah." Gunner said as he stood up. "Have a good trip."

"Alright buddy, bye." Spencer said giving his brother a quick hug before he left.

He next went to Tessa's room where she was sitting on her bed, propped up against pillows, reading a book. Tessa was a book worm, she never had much else to do, being sick all of the time.

"I'm about to go Tess." Spencer said sitting on the foot of her bed.

Tessa laid her book down and took off her reading glasses.

"Have a good time." She said with a smile. "Tell grandma and Jenny that I say hi."

"Will do." Spencer smiled. "How have you been feeling?"

"Tired of everyone asking me that." Tessa said winking. "Now hurry up and get out of here. I know you're only saying bye to us cause mom and dad made you."

Spencer stood up and gave Tessa a long hug.

"I love you Spence."

"You too Tess."

Spencer closed the door lightly behind himself, and went to see the last person, Cody.

"Co-co?" Spencer said again banging on the door.

He heard her turn down the loud music and the clatter of things inside the room and the opening and closing of doors before Cody unlocked the door.

"What were you doing in there?" Spencer questioned.

"Nothing." Cody said letting her brother into her room.

"I'm going to leave now…"

"Cool." Cody said… "So um, bye, have a good trip."

"Yeah, bye…" Spencer said closing the door to leave contemplating the odd behavior that he had just seen from all of his younger siblings. Something inside of him made him feel like he should do something but…

* * *

----- Logan sat at the kitchen table listening to her parents drilling her for what seemed like the millionth time.

"No sex, no drugs, no alcohol." Nathan said.

"Yeah." Haley said getting up to get more coffee, "And I don't want any grandkids when you get back!" She warned

"Oh please, and anyway, dad, weren't you like my age when I was born?" Logan said raising an eyebrow

"That's not the point Logan!" Nathan said through gritted teeth.

Logan stood up rolling her eyes.

"Where are you going?" Nathan asked as he watched her toss a bag over her shoulder.

"Chill out dad, I'm not leaving yet." Logan said. "I'm just going to sit this last bag on the curb so it'll be easier to load when Spencer gets here."

"You need help?" Her father offered

"Dad, it's one bag!" Logan pointed out. "I think I can manage."

"Hey watch it snappy," Haley warned from the kitchen, "he didn't have to let you do."

Logans face broke into a small smile as she kissed her father on the cheek.

"Thanks for the offer dad, I have it."

Logan headed out to the front of her house just in time to see Hannah leaving from the garage.

"Hey Han." Logan called out to get her younger sisters attention.

"Hey." Hannah responded making no effort to approach Logan, so Logan came to her.

"I'm leaving soon." She said with an excited smile.

"I know." Hannah said flatly.

Logan nervously shifted to her other foot.

"Um, so, where you headed?" Logan asked trying to make conversation.

"I'm going over to Rivers, we'll probably meet up with Cody later or something." She explained, squinting in the sun.

The dark haired sisters stood in an awkward silence momentarily.

"If you want I'm sure that Spencer could give you a ride. We have to go over to Rivers house anyway to pick up Aspen."

"Nah, it's okay. I feel like walking." Hannah said as she glanced down the sidewalk, she turned to leave when Logan grabbed her arm.

"Look Han, I'm sorry about the trip."

"It's alright." Hannah said putting on a fake smile. "Have a good time." She said giving her sister a quick hug and then starting into a steady jog in the opposite direction.

She knew that it was completely irrational that she was so upset about the trip being cancelled, but it was just that she had been looking forward to it, and as far as she knew Logan had been as well. That was how it had been the past year. Logan and she were fine… until something better came along.

As Hannah disappeared down the street Spencer pulled up.

"Hey Han." He said as he got out and popped the trunk. "Excited?"

"Totally." She said tossing him a bag to put in the trunk.

"You check out with the parentals yet?" Spencer asked

"Nah, knowing them they will be out here within the next three seconds."

"Lo!" Nathan said running out.

"Like I said." Logan said to her cousin with a smile.

"Hi Uncle Nate." Spencer said giving him a manly hand shake.

"So you kids gonna be good?" Haley asked standing back with her hands crossed over her chest. No matter how old she got she had the exact same mannerisms.

"Of course mom!" Logan said leaning in and giving her a long hug.

"Be good baby." Haley said giving her a light squeeze before releasing her to her father.

"I love ya daddy." Logan said giving him a quick peck on the cheek.

"Be good kid!" Nathan warned.

"I will!" Logan said as she climbed into the front seat.

"You too Spencer!" Nathan said warningly pointing at him.

"Will do Uncle Nate. BYE!" He said as they pulled off.

"Bye!" Nathan and Haley called after the car as they waved.

Logan smiled to herself.

"What?" Spencer asked in a teasing manner

"Two months of freedom." Logan said winking

"Oh yeah!" Spencer said as he gripped the wheel. "Do you think things are kinda funny at home?"

"My home or your home?" Logan asked with a raised brow

"Both." Spencer said looking at her momentarily before turning back to the road.

"Definitely…" Logan said finally.

* * *

--- Hannah sat in the window seat in Rivers room with her. They were painting one another's toenails, Cody was on the bed flipping through River's CD collection.

"God, what's up with your CD's?" Cody said tossing the case off of the bed. "It's 2018!"

."What's up with you're long sleeves? It's 90 degrees outside!" She shot back.

Before it could go any further there was a loud bang against the door.

"What the hell was that?" Hannah asked

"One of the kids." River said shrugging. "One of the elements, Rain, Fire, someone." She said laughing.

From the window seat Hannah could see Aspen loading her bags into Spencers car and speeding off. River noticed that Hannah was kind of spacey and lightly squeezed her calf and finished polishing the last nail.

"All done!" She said blowing on them lightly.

"Beautiful." Hannah said laughing, suddenly she felt something hit her in the head. She turned to see Cody staring at her with a mischievous smile.

"You guys run there to be little window seat children and leave me here all on my lonesome." She said faking a pout.

Hannah and River bounded across the room and onto the water bed almost causing Cody to fall off, but River stuck out her hand and caught her arm.

"What are we going to do now?" Hannah asked becoming bored.

The girls sat in silence.

"I hope that this isn't a preview of the rest of the summer." River groaned leaning back on the bed.

"We could play truth or dare." Cody said winking.

"Come on Co-Co!" Hannah complained. "That is so middle school."

Cody sighed.

"I don't see anyone with any better ideas."

River and Hannah exchanged glances.

"Fine." They said in unison.

"Only if we ask a questions. I don't like dares. And EVERYONE has to answer." Hannah said. Times like this she could be reserved like Haley had been.

"Alright. First kiss." Cody tossed out, and then looked at Hannah.

"Um… easy. Grant Jenkins." Hannah said. "Fifth grade, behind the curtain at the Christmas pageant. We were playing Mary and Joseph so he said that it was only fitting." She laughed. "What about you Cody?" Hannah shot back.

"I'm not really sure." She said thinking back.

"You know she has made out with the entire school." River joked earning a slap in the arm from Cody.

"Dude, I think it was Canyon." Cody said her face turning up…. "EW!"

"Ew is right, Co-Co that's my brother!" River said. "Bad mental pictures, bad mental pictures."

"What about you Riv?" Cody asked raising an eyebrow.

"I think I was like, … I donno, maybe like 11, anyway it was Carly Jacobson." River said nodding her head for no apparent reason.

Hannah froze and Cody laughed finding the whole thing predictable.

"Carly as in a girl?" She asked

"Yeah. You know when you're little and you're all like, 'I'm going to my first party and I gotta know how to kiss!'" She said in a mocking voice.

"Gotcha." Cody said not quite believing the cover.

Hannah and River both looked at one another and away again quickly. Cody knew that she had to brake the silence. She wasn't the silent type. She pulls out a needle from her pocket, and a ring from the other.

"Who want's to pierce my bellybutton!" She said with a wide smile.

* * *

** I love ending with funny thoughts from Cody. Most everything she does or says I have, lol.**

** Oh! I forgot to say before Logan will meet Brooke, most likely in Tree Hill, I repeat LOGAN WILL MEET BROOKE**.

**xoxo Jules**


	4. They said she died easy

This is up sooner than I thought it would be... um, so on my other stories, I am working on Merdiocre Bad Guys, and Busted and Freedom, and I will try to have all of those updated monday. I haven't started school yet so I am going to try to update as much as I can before I do. Please Read and Review!

xoxo Jules

* * *

Chapter 4: "They said she died easy"

TWO DAYS LATER

Spencer, Logan, and Aspen stare out of the window as a sign that read  
"Welcome to Tree Hill" , passed them by.

"You been here before?" Spencer called back to where Aspen was lying in the backseat. Logan was asleep in the front.

"Nope." Aspen said. "My family didn't take long trips because there are so many kids." Aspen said laughing. "What's it like?"

"Small… quiet, too quiet. I don't know how my parents grew up here, theres nothing to do."

"Haha, Logan said that her mom loved it."

"Yeah, aunt Haley was different from everyone else. My dad and her are best friends you know." Spencer informed her

"Really?"

"Totally. And my mom used to go out with Logans dad." Spencer said glancing in the rearview mirror.

"Ew, that's like, your mom used to date your uncle…" Aspen said. "Now even my family isn't that twisted."

They pulled up to a small café that said "Karens" on the outside.

"What's this?" Aspen asked.

"My grandma's place." He said as he shook Logan awake.

"Wha…" Logan said turning over rubbing her eyes.

"We're here!" Aspen yelled to her best friend dragging her out of the car by her arm. She was still barely awake.

The three teens entered the diner… right when they went in someone caught Logans eye… a girl, about early thirties, like her parents. She had shoulder length dark brown hair. It didn't take long for Logan to realize that it was the girl from Aunt Peyton's picture… her "supposed" mother… But she had to be hallucinating, right? She did just wake up! Brooke was supposed to be in California, that is what her parents had always told her.

When she stopped staring at the girl she realized that Aspen and Spencer were staring at her.

"Huh?" Logan said looking back and forth between the two of them.

"Are you alright babes?" Aspen asked grabbing her hand, much in the way that Peyton would have had to Brooke in their younger closer days.

"Yeah, I'm fine."

--------- Back in New York

Hannah and Cody sat under the tree by the creek in silence. Cody could tell that she had something on her mind, but she never pushed. She knew her cousin to well. Hannah had a way of spilling her feeling out after awhile. Except when she didn't talk for awhile like this it worried her.

"Han, what's up?" Cody asked putting out her cigarette butt and scooting closer to the girl who was just staring off into the distance.

"Nothing." Hannah said tossing her dark brown hair over her shoulders.

"Come on, I know you better than that." Cody said lightly shoving her in the shoulder.

"It's nothing." Hannah said becoming annoyed with her cousins pushing.

"Is it River?" Cody asked

"No, why do you think that I'd be thinking about her?" Hannah said defensively.

"No reason." Cody said rolling her eyes, her cousin just looked away from her anyway.

Hannah took the packet of cigarettes from Cody

"You really shouldn't be smoking these." She said tossing them to the side.

Cody shrugged.

"Why do you do that anyway?" Hannah asked

"Why does anybody do the things that they do?"

Hannah huffed. She hated how Cody would always answer a question with a question.

"I think," Hannah began, "I think that everyone is pretty much a result of their parents, yanno?"

"In good ways or bad?" Cody asked

"Both." Hannah answered simply.

"My grandma always says that Spencer was just like my dad at his age." Cody said smiling a little bit. "The basketball star, tragic hero type. The guy that couldn't quite get it right." Cody pulled her curly blonde hair up into a pony tail. She was a spitting image of her mother at her age, besides the freckles that lightly dusted the top of her nose.

Hannah glanced down at her watch.

"Shit, I'm late! I have to watch the twins!" Hannah said jumping to her feet. "Coming with?"

"Nah, I think I'm going to stay here awhile and vege, out, yanno."

"Alright, call me later if your bored. Riv's coming over for a sleepover if you wanna crash." Hannah asked

Cody smiled at the thought. She was still in such denial.

"Nah, thanks though. I think I'm gonna stay here."

"Suit yourself." Hannah said grabbing the cigarettes off of the ground. "By the way, you're done with these." She slipped them in her backpack.

Cody rolled her eyes. Everyone always treated her like a baby. Like she needed help, but she was fine, all that she needed was a razor.

"Bye Han." Cody said.

"See ya around Co-Co." Hannah said turning quickly on her heels as she jogged out of the woods.

--------- Tree Hill

"What do you mean she's not here?" Spencer asked the guy at the counter.

"Like I said, she's away doing a cooking convention or something."

"So what are we going to so now?" Logan asked leaning back against the counter.

"My grandma must keep a key or something somewhere. All people do, like in the yard under a ceramic turtle or something. We just have to find it." Spencer explained

"Let's go then." Aspen said as she headed towards the door.

"Actually, I think I'm going to take a walk." Logan said looking around.

Spencer was a bit worried.

"Are you sure that you don't want me to come with you?" Aspen asked

"No, it's cool, you and Spence go check out the house. I'll just walk over there when I'm done. My legs are tired from the car." Logan lied.

Spencer nodded.

"Alright, call me if you want a ride or something."

"Will do." Logan said hugging them quickly before they went their separate ways.

Logan walked through the old park. Her parents always took her there to play when she was little and they were visiting. At the time her mom was pregnant with Cassie. She and Hannah would swing for hours,

****

up and down, up and down

Logan stopped in her tracks where she came across the woman, this "Brooke" again. She was unsure what to do. She was sitting alone on a bench just watching the kids play. She looked kind of dazed as she watched them swing.

****

up and down, up and down

She took in a deep breath and then took a seat next to her… they sat in silence for a minute. Unsure of what else to do Logan pulled out a cigarette and lit it up. The girl turned and raised an eyebrow to her.

**_up and down, up and down_**

"Oh, I'm sorry, do you mind?" Logan stuttered sounding like a small child.

"No." The woman said with a smile. "You just look a little young." She added.

Logan looked down and shrugged. She really had no plan, she was sitting next to her birth mother and had no plan at all. What if she figured it out? Haley… Haley was her mother, she would be heartbroken.

"But, I guess I'm in no place to judge." She continued. "I did the same thing when I was your age."

Logan looked at the woman curiously.

**_up and down, up and down_**

"Do you still?" She asked

"Sometimes." The woman answered. "I stopped twice."

"Why?" Logan asked. Brooke looked back at her with surprise. Logan realized that she was being a little too forward but decided she had gotten this far, it was no time to pull out.

"I had a child." Brooke said looking away from Logan. "Logan Elizabeth."

Logan smiled. Logan Elizabeth Scott, she never had a middle name, all of the other kids did though.

**_up and down, up and down_**

"She is about your age now." Brooke said.

"So you grew up here?" Logan asked. Brooke raised her brow, "I mean, I was just guessing."

Brooke nodded.

"Yes I did."

"So did my parents. They graduated from Tree Hill High, class of 2005." Logan said looking Brooke dead in the eye now.

"Really. So did I. Maybe I know them." She said curious, although she hated reliving her high school years.

"I was kind of hoping that you did…" Logan said quietly. "I um, I grew up with my dad and my step-mom, but my step mom was like my mom. My mom wasn't around. My mom and dad gave me everything…" Her voice trailed off but it picked back up again. "I'm Logan Scott." She said now meeting Brookes shocked eyes… the same eyes that she saw when she looked in the mirror everyday.

**_up and down, up and down_**

"Oh my god." Brooke said about to continue when a little girl ran up to her.

"Mommy!" The little girl said with a smile. "Who's that?" She asked looking at her mother. When her mom didn't respond she stuck out her hand. "Hi, I'm Katia!" She said with a smile. Logan quickly took her hand.

"Logan." She said standing up. "Nice to meet you." She said turning to Brooke and Katia before she hurried out of the park.

She turned around when she was out of Brookes eye shot. She was staring at the space where Logan had just disappeared. And in the background Logan could see a younger pregnant woman pushing two swings, a little girl in each,

**_up and down, up and down_**

**_

* * *

_**

**All done with that chapter. I donno if Katia is Brooke's or not yet, I mean, I was thinking about somewhere I can go with that but yanno. Hum... You'll just have to wait and see!**

**xoxo Jules**


	5. Of a broken heart disease

Hey all! Thanks for the great reviews for this story. I forgot to mention before, most all of my stories are written to a song. The titles are a lyric to a song, if not the actualy name of the song, and each chapter is a lyric as well. It helps me to write to the tone of the song and the feeling of each chapter. This story is the song One Headlight, by the Wallflowers, released way back when in the 90's. It's an amazing song, you should check it out. When you click on the story chapter thing you can see each lyric and read them together and see the song. I decided that it would be a cool thing to do. An original idea.

READ, REVIEW, REQUEST! (and when I say requset I mean, what do YOU want?)

xoxo Jules

* * *

Chapter 5: "Of a broke heart disease"

Logan felt like she could not breathe as she headed back to her grandmothers house. Once she got there she collapsed on the front porch, the hot summer sun beat down on her face. If she were back home her mom would be telling her to put on sunscreen right now… Oh Haley, what was she going to do? Wait, should she even freak out about this whole thing? Chances were that Brooke didn't want anything to do with her, she didn't before! She had a new daughter now, and Logan had a mother, they were both happy… right…

The door behind Logan swung open to reveal Aspen.

"Lo, what the hell are you doing outside in this heat? You're gonna get crispy! Come inside!" Aspen yelled from the doorway. "Lo?" Aspen called again. "Lo?" She said again as she quietly closed the door behind her and went to sit on the step next to her best friend. "What's going on hun?"

Logan shrugged, her eyes filling to the brim with tears.

"Talk to me Logan." Aspen said gently shoving her side.

"I saw her today."

"Who?"

"Brooke." Logan spoke her name as though it was poison even though she didn't feel that way. "I talked to her…"

"Does she know?" Aspen asked

"Well she does now! I was so stupid Asp. I'm doing fine without her! I have an amazing mother, and I do these things without thinking and I end up hurting everyone!" Logan said allowing the tears to spill from her eyes.

"I wish I could make it better babe." Aspen said putting her hand around her friends shoulder

"I think I have a way that we can…" Logan said looking at Aspen winking and then dragging her into the house

* * *

--- Cody walked into her house to find her mother in the kitchen.

"Hey Co-Co, where have you been?" Peyton asked

"I was out with Hannah." She said propping herself on the kitchen counter.

"Have you bee smoking Cody?" Peyton asked looking at her daughter accusingly

Cody's head shot up. She thought that she had been outside long enough to air off. Quick, time for a cover up.

"No, 'course not mom. We went out to lunch and we had to sit in the smoking section because everywhere else was full." Cody said quickly.

"Good." Peyton said. "Hey look, I'm going to need your help around here this summer since Spencer's gone and all. Gunner has been acting like he has no common sense and Tessa has been really sick lately."

"Is Tess going to be alright mom?" Cody said genuinely concerned.

"Of course." Peyton said nervously. She hated the thought of her children in pain. "Why do you have on a long sleeved shirt? It's burning up outside."

"I missed the weather on the news last night, I thought it was going to rain." She lied again.

"Why don't you go change?" Peyton suggested

Cody shrugged.

"I don't feel like doing anymore laundry. Besides, I'm going to stay in this afternoon, it feels like an icebox in here." Cody said "Early menopause?" She smirked

"Well it must be REALLY early seeing how I'm a over 10 years away from that." Peyton said returning to her sketch.

"All of my friends moms are totally menopausal." Cody said.

"Well then just be grateful that this mother had you when she was… younger, and you'll be out of the house by the time that hits." Peyton said winking.

"Haha." Cody said as she retreated to her room.

* * *

----- Back in Tree Hill; Logan and Aspen laid on the bed in the bedroom that Karen had set up for her grandchildren's visits.

"Why do all bad things start with men…?" Aspen asked looking at the ceiling.

"Huh?" Logan asked as she rolled off of the bed

"Yanno, menstruation, menopause… menstrual…"

"Dude… menstrual and menstruation are the same thing…" Logan said turning to face her friend who was pondering the statement.

"Na uh, it's like, I donno, menstrual is how you get during the act of menstruation…" Aspen stated as more of a question than a statement.

"…gotcha…" Logan said giggling. "We are so totally stoned right now…"

Aspen rolled off the bed onto the floor next to Logan.

"So," Aspen began, "this is what you meant by ease the pain?"

"It worked didn't it." Logan said laughing

"Cha…" Aspen agreed

Spencer listened from outside of the door. Logan had been acting differently since she got home from her walk. Something must have happened and Logan fixed it in the only way that she knew how, getting high.

When she was upset she just used to throw herself into school work, and would focus on bringing her A to an A. She was truly her mothers daughter. But now it seemed all that she was was a façade. A confused, lost, girl that was masquerading as the perfect student, the perfect daughter, the prized tutor…

Spencer was broken out of his thoughts when the doorbell rang. He tip-toed away from the door down the stairs. He looked out of the peep hole but didn't see anyone there. He opened the door, standing to the side of the door was a woman but the lost look in her eyes revealed her as a child on the inside.

"Um, if you're looking for Karen she's not around." Spencer said.

Brooke studied the boys face. When she looked at him she saw Lucas and Peyton staring back at her. The curly hair, Lucas' droopy broody eyes, Lukes mouth…

"Um, I, I was actually wondering if Logan Scott was staying here."

"Um, yeah…" Spencer said, and as he looked at the woman it finally clicked "Brooke." He said turning and heading up the stairs.

Alright, now the resemblance between Spencer and his father was scaring her, it wasn't even in body, but it was in mannerisms and the tones of his voice.

"Thanks Spencer." She said as she watched the boy walk away.

Spencer stopped dead in his tracks.

"How did you know my name?" He asked turning to face her again.

"It doesn't matter." Brooke said.

Spencer shook his head as he walked upstairs. He didn't like her being all cryptic. It reminded him of Cody. He missed his little sister.

He knocked on the door to the room where Aspen and Logan were several times before anyone opened it.

"What's up?" Aspen asked as she bounced back over to the bed.

"Um, Logan, Brooke is downstairs." Spencer said.

"Wha- WHAT?" Logan said rolling over on the floor so that she was now on her stomach.

"Yeah."

Logan and Aspen looked at one another.

"Um, okay." Aspen said standing up and fixing her shirt. She glanced at Spencer and Aspen quickly before she slowly headed downstairs. "Remember to breathe, remember to breathe." She chanted as she made her way downstairs. She was still high, she felt like she was floating.

Brooke looked around at all of the pictures. She smiled. Peyton, she missed her a lot. There was one of she and Luke with their arms full of curly blonde haired children taken quite sometime ago. And then there was the one with Nathan and Haley, obviously married now. There were several kids in the picture but Brooke lost count after five.

"Hey." Logan said from the stairs entering the room.

"Hey." Brooke said from where she stood.

* * *

------ New York

"What time is River coming over?" Eleven year old Kylie Rhea asked Hannah as they sat at the table.

"Soon." Hannah said. They usually harassed Logan like that, but now since she's away Hannah had to fill in the role of the eldest.

"Aspen went to Tree Hill with Spence and Lo right?" Thirteen year old Cassie asked.

"Yeah." She said pushing the food around her plate before she took another bite.

Nathan walked in dragging Gabe, on of the twins behind him. He looked angry.

"What wrong Dad?" Twelve year old Rebecca said.

"Did Jacob brake something again?" Kylie Rhea asked

"I'm not Jake I'm GABE!" Gabriel yelled from where he stood behind his father. Kylie could never tell the twins apart.

"Whatever." Kylie said as she took a heaping bite of potatoes.

Right then Haley walked in with Jacob trailing behind her.

"Sweet, what'd ya brake?" Jacob asked running to his twin.

"My left arm, again!" He said showing off his cast.

"Boys are so stupid." Rebecca said shaking her head and rolling her eyes.

"God, they probably think that we're like beating them or something, this year alone Jacobs been in there seven times!" Haley said.

"The time he fell off him bike, when he put his hand on the hot burner." Hannah said.

"The dog bite." Cassie reminded them. "The time he cracked his tooth in half."

"When he tried to fly off the garage and then landed on Gabe." Kylie Rhea said shooting her brother a glare.

"They both went to the hospital that time." Rebecca said smiling.

"Well yeah, thanks to the troublesome twosome we're having a routine home study tomorrow." Nathan said getting a worried look on his face.

"Does that mean that we have to clean?" Kylie complained.

"Come on guys, be serious!" Nathan said

"I was!" Kylie said putting her head in her hands.

"Calm down Nathan, we didn't do anything wrong, we just have children that lack common sense." Haley said shooting a glare around the group before breaking into a smile. "How'd you brake it anyway Gabe?"

Gabe looked at Jacob.

"Yanno how we were building that Tree House on our own?" Gabe asked him

"Yeah." Jake answered

"Well I tested it…"

Haley and Nathan looked at one another each throwing their hands in the air. Right then Cody and River came in.

"What'd we miss?" Cody asked smiling.

* * *

**Haha, I love ending with fun stuff from Cody. I think I might try leaving off with her saying dumb things eachtime. Since she's based off of me, yes, anything extremely dumb she does or says I most likely have, like last chapter "Let's pierce my belly button," needless to say that my belly button is now pierced. Haha.**

**About the social worker thing with Haley and Nathan, it's not serious or anything like they're gonna get thier kids taken away, I just think that I am going to need serious comic relief the next chapter after the whole Brooke, Logan storyline and so they will provide!**

**xoxo Jules**

** READ, REVIEW, AND REQUEST!**


	6. As I listened through the cemetary trees

New chap, R&R. Thanks for the reviews!

xoxo Jules

* * *

Chapter 6: "Through the cemetery trees"

Logan stood in the center of the room with her arms crossed over her chest. She was attempting to look anywhere but at Brooke.

"So, you're 16 now." Brooke said unsure of where really to begin.

Logan nodded, shifting from one foot to the other. There was an awkward silence.

"Alright, can we just cut to the chase because I hate to beat around the bush." Logan said gaining a little drug induced confidence.

"Okay." Brooke said nodding, "do you wanna um, sit…" She asked

Logan shrugged as she sat down on the opposite end of the couch.

"How did you know that I would be here?" Logan asked

Brooke shrugged.

"I just figured, I saw you at the café this morning with some people asking about Karen… but that was before I knew who you were."

"Look, I really want to apologize about that. I don't really know what I was thinking." Logan said.

"It's okay, really." Brooke said

"No, it's not. I have a mom who I love to death and six brothers and sisters and, gosh, just an entire life and it's amazing and I see no reason to complicate that." Logan said in one breath

"I understand, and trust me, I don't want to make this hard for you." Brooke said

Logan looked over to the woman who was supposed to be her mother. She didn't dress like a mother, she was younger hipper. Not that Haley dressed exactly like a mom, but she didn't dress like Brooke. The thing though that drew Logan to her was the look of sadness that was in her eyes, could it be regret? Guilt?

"You didn't know who my father was, Lucas or Nathan." Logan said picking at her fingernails.

"Nathan. I know now." Brooke said

"How?"

Brooke shrugged. Logan felt like there was something that Brooke was conveniently leaving out, but decided now to push… just yet.

"Why, … um, why did you leave me?" Logan asked

"I wasn't good for you, I wasn't good for anyone." Brooke admitted. "I got pregnant in college and when I found out decided to drop out. When you were born I was living with my Aunt… I just started hating the person that I had become… I didn't want to take it out on you. If you knew me back then it would be easier for you to understand… I wasn't a really good person." Brooke said.

"Well then how did I end up with Dad?"

"When I left I left you with my Aunt, she later died in a car accident. I had you back for a grand total of three days then, but I didn't have a place to live, I didn't have any money, and I didn't know how to take care of a baby. You were the first one that I ever even held…" Brooke said her eyes beginning to well up with tears. "Of those three nights one was spent on the couch of some guys apartment… another on a park bench, and the last on a train to New York. I left you with Lucas because I knew that you would be safe."

"But why didn't you stay in touch? Why didn't you ever come back?" Logan asked her mind reeling

"I wanted to so many times sweetie, but by the time that I finally got myself together it was too late. It wouldn't be fair of me to come back after all of that time and expect something of you." Brooke said wiping the tears from her eyes.

Logan watched Brookes face as she cried, she looked exactly like her crying… And she had her dimples, stretching the entire length of her cheeks, and her eyes, chocolate brown and shaped to perfection.

"My mom and dad raised me well…" Logan said

"I'm glad." Brooke said nodding her head a couple of times.

"Um… the girl that was with you today at the park…" Logan began

"Katia. Katia Hayden Davis." Brooke said.

"So she's yours?" Logan asked

"Yeah she is."

Logan leaned back on the couch and chuckled nervously.

"What?" Brooke asked

"Nothing, I'm just figuring this. Me, I have seven siblings."

"Haley and your dad must have been busy." Brooke said surprised to see Logan smile

"They got married just out of college, and then dad found out about me, when I was 1 Hannah was born, shes 15 now, and then theres Cassie 13, and Becca 12, and Kylie Rhea, she's 11, and Gabe and Jake the twins, they are 7." Logan said

"Wow, must be really packed." Brooke said making small talk

"So, are you um, married?" Logan asked

Brooke took a deep breath. What should she tell her? She had been working in the Adult Film industry and had ended up pregnant with Katia on the set of a movie called _"When Teachers Pet?"_

"No." Brooke said simply. "And no he's not around." She said putting on a nervous smile.

* * *

----- Back in New York

"I'm so totally bored." River said as she flipped through a magazine.

"Me too." Hannah said

"At least you have the entire attic to yourself since Logan's away." Cody pointed out. She rolled over on Logans bed accidentally knocking into the nightstand. The drawer fell out and so did all of it's contents. Little did she know that the contents included a bag of weed. "Shit!" She said picking everything up and stuffing the drawer back in of course missing the little baggie.

"What should we do?" Hannah asked sitting up on the bed, her legs lightly brushing Rivers, the girls exchanged quick glances and then looked away embarrassed.

Cody rolled her eyes tired of the tension between the two.

"We're playing truth or dare." She said crawling across the floor and up onto Hannahs bed where she and River were already sitting.

"That game is so juvenile." River said.

"Well do you have any other ideas?" Cody asked

Hannah broke in. When River and Cody argued it never turned out pretty.

"Cody, truth or dare?" Hannah asked

"Dare." Cody said.

"I dare you to kiss Canyon next time you see him."

"Done it." Cody said

"Eric Walters?" Hannah tried

"Him too."

"Ben Locke?" Hannah tried again, Cody just blushed.

"Face it, she's made out with the entire Junior class." River said

"River's got a point." Cody said totally dissing herself taking a sip of her coke. "Hannah truth or dare?"

"Truth." Hannah said shaking her head

"If you had to French any girl that you know who would it be?" Cody asked

River and Hannahs heads both shot up.

"What kind of question is that?" Hannah asked

"A good one." Cody said smiling and winking.

Hannah took a deep breath.

"I donno, you or Riv I guess." Hannah said tangling her hands in the sheets.

"Um, honey, I'm your cousin." Cody said. "So I guess it's good old Riv then." Cody said

River began to blush furiously.

"River truth or dare." Cody said smiling that now she was getting somewhere. Her friends might be pissed as all hell at her right then, but she was doing this for THEM.

"Dare." River said, she saw what kind of truth she gave Hannah, and she knew how much dirt Cody had on her. She decided not to risk a truth.

"I dare you to kiss Hannah!" Cody said getting up on her knees excitedly as she spoke, she had a wide grin on her face.

"Excuse you!" River said.

"You heard me!" Cody said sitting again.

"Forgive me, my cousin seems to have gone crazy. You don't have to." Hannah said

"Yeah, I don't want to make you feel uncomfortable." River told Hannah

"It wouldn't make me uncomfortable, it's just truth or dare!" Hannah said a little too defensively

"Well should I then?" River asked

"A dare is a dare!" Hannah said nervously

Cody just laid back on the head board and watched it all unfold.

"Fine!" River said. She slowly leaned in and captured Hannahs lips with her own. The kiss lingered for a few seconds.

"WOAH!" Cody said getting off the bed. "Nobody said anything about tongue!"

They pulled back from one another. Hannah looked a little confused and flustered and River looked right out embarrassed.

"Where are you going?" Hannah asked watching Cody climb into Logan's bed.

"To sleep. You two can double up over there." Logan said. "I roll a lot in my sleep."

"YOU DO NOT!" River and Hannah said in unison. They looked at each other and began to blush all over again.

"Guy's look," Cody said sitting up in bed, "you want each other, there's nothing wrong with that, just let me get some sleep eh?" Cody said lying back down on the bed

River and Hannah sat shocked… what now?

* * *

Oh good lord. I know how some of you feel about that but my story is meant to explore it as I said before. Thank you all for being so tolerant. Anyway. The social worker thing will prob. be in one of the next 2 chaps depending of how bad I need comic relief/material. LOL.

REVIEW!

XOXO Jules


	7. I seen the sun comin up at the funeral a...

Alright, I'm sorry for the delays lately. As it turns out any wrong move on my part can get me kicked out of school so I'm walking on a thin line there, my great-grandfather died this past september 11th (great luck huh?) and the today I found out that one of my best friend who is going through a really hard time is getting sent away like... tonight probably. I am not sure what effect all of this chaos is going to have. Sometimes when bad things like this happen I throw myself into my writing, other times I pull away from it... I don't know, it's just really really hard. My friend having to leave is just complicating things.... so um yeah. Can't bring myself to do the x's and o's today...

Jules

I'll miss you babe

I'll try to update as soon as I can.

* * *

Chapter 7: "I seen the sun comin' up at the funeral at dawn" 

----- The next morning, New York

"They should be here soon!" Haley said referring to the social workers as she brushed Kylie Rhea's hair furiously.

"OW MOM!" Kylie complained

"Where are the girls?" Haley asked Nathan.

"They're still sleeping in the attic." Nathan said as the doorbell rang.

"Hi." Haley said as she pulled the door open to reveal an older woman with graying hair.

"Hello, I am looking for Mr. and Mrs. Scott." The woman said

"Oh, that's us, I'm Haley, and this is my husband Nathan."

"Hello, I am Barbara Walsh." The woman introduced herself.

"Come on in." Nathan said opening the door to reveal the three of the kids, who happened to be the twins and Kylie Rhea standing behind them.

"These are the twins Gabriel and Jacob, and this is Rebecca." Haley introduced them.

"Hello children." She said giving them a good look over.

Good thing the night before Haley had thrown each child in the bathtub personally.

"Would you like us to show you around?" Nathan offered.

"No, I can show my self thank you." She said heading upstairs.

The carpet going up the stairs was soggy, water sloshed beneath their feet.

"What is this!" Ms. Walsh asked pushing the door to the bathroom open to reveal Cassie and Kylie arguing with one another

"I told you to only flush one at a time!" Cassie was yelling at Kylie who stood in the bathtub with the plunger in her hand to stop from getting wet.

"Well they're small!" Kylie argued back

"What is going on here?" Haley asked, Nathan had run down to the basement to turn off the water.

"Kylie's hamster's babies died and she decided to flush them down the toilet!" Cassie said

"We did it with the fish!" Kylie argued back again

-------- River and Hannah sat on Rivers bed still both thinking about what had happened the night before. Cody on the other hand was still asleep in Logan's bed, making a big drool mark on her pillow.

"Whatcha thinking about?" River asked

"Nothing." Hannah said a little too quickly. She took a deep breath and then attempted to recover from the slip. "Just about how screwed up Cody is."

"What do you mean?" River asked

"She seems to be under the impression that I have a thing for you." Hannah said rolling her eyes and laughing nervously. She was unsure what to think when River didn't do the same.

"What would you think if I did… yanno, have a thing for you, … kinda…" River said looking away from Hannah

Hannah swallowed hard… she had tried not to think about this conversation. She never actually thought that this would come up.

"I don't know…" Hannah said honestly "Do you?"

River nodded slightly still looking away from her friend.

"Yeah, I guess I do." Their eyes met and then darted away from one another. "Do you, um, feel the same way?"

"I don't know…" Hannah asked as River leaned in and kissed her, right then the door opened to reveal a woman that neither of them had seen before. "Oh my god!" Hannah said jumping up from the bed.

River turned away from the lady blushing. Luckily Nathan and Haley weren't with her because they were tied up with the flood that was occurring downstairs.

"Um, hi, I'm Hannah…" She said rocking from foot to foot.

Right then Cody woke up and rubbed her eyes to see this awkward scene in front of her.

"Dude, it seems like you just walked in on the two of them making out…" Nobody responded, "oh…" Cody said sighing and lying back down. "Just pretend I'm not here." She said turning over

Haley and Nathan appeared behind Ms. Walsh.

"And this is our second eldest daughter Hannah, and her friend River." Haley explained.

"I see." Ms. Walsh said. "Well I think I'm done here." She said smiling and walking out

"Well wait, did we pass?" Nathan asked

"Someone will be calling you later with the results." She said leaving.

"Well she was only here a little bit, maybe we did alright…" She said hopefully getting a hug from Nathan.

Hannah stood watching the scene mentally beating herself up for possibly jeopardizing the review.

------ Tree Hill

The door bell to Karens house rang a couple of times followed by couple of soft knocks.

"Ugh.." Spencer grumbled as he fell out of bed, his curls making a mass on his head. As he made his way down the stairs in his boxers he furiously itched the stubble on his chin. "Coming." He yelled. He put his forehead on the door and closed his eyes momentarily before he swung it open.

"Hey Curly!"

"Jenny…" Spencer said shocked when his girlfriend threw her arms around his neck.

There she stood in front of him, Jenny Jagielski, soul mates since age four. They had so many good times together, smearing peanut butter and Jelly in each others hair when their dads got locked out of the car, and when he and Jenny tried to sneak out Jennys senior year and Spencer slipped on a patch of ice and broke his arm… but the best time had to have been their first kiss in Spencers tree house, Spencer had been eleven at the time, and Jenny just twelve.

"This is a surprise!" He said about to pull her into a kiss.

"Ew!" She said jokingly pushing him off of her. "Morning breath!" She said smiling

Jenny was just shorter that Spencer and had light brown hair just past her shoulders and dark brown eyes. She wasn't too much of a tomboy, or at least not as much of one as you would expect her to be having grown up with her father.

"Sorry." Spencer said covering his mouth for a second before planting a sloppy kiss on her.

"Ew! Totally disgusting Curly, I hope you enjoyed that because that's all that you're getting." Jenny said tossing her bag in the corner.

"So what are you doing here?" Spencer asked covering his arms over his bare chest.

"I just thought that I would surprise you. I knew that you'd be working a lot while you were up here but I can't resist a man in an apron." Jenny said winking and nudging Spencer with her hip. "Where's Karen?" Jenny asked looking around.

"Away at some convention or something. She should get home soon, I don't know when but soon." Spencer said

Aspen wandered down the stairs with Logan trailing close behind.

"I'm hungry, Spencer make me food!" Aspen begged.

The two stopped short when they saw Jenny.

"Surprise surprise." Logan said winking at the two before going over and giving Jenny a big hug. She had been like her older sister.

"Hey Lo." Jenny said squeezing her tight. "How have you been?" Jenny asked

"Oh yanno, the norm, school, tutoring, meeting my birth mother." Logan rambled off.

"Really?" Jenny asked raising her eyebrow

"Really." Logan responded.

Then Jenny turned to Spencer.

"Go brush your teeth, we need to have girl talk!" Jenny ordered with a grin

"Fine fine!" Spencer said walking up the stairs with his hands above his head. "I thought that my girlfriend was coming to visit me and instead she ends up with my cousin, I see how it is."

---- Peyton sat on her bed sketching when there was a knock at her door.

"Come on in." She said.

The door opened and there was Tessa. They liked to think of Tessa as the reasonable child, at times painfully normal. Spencer was always brooding or playing basketball, Gunner was always so… angry, and Cody, god knew what went on with her, but Tessa, she was just an all around good kid, besides the fact that she was sick.

"Mom, someones on the phone for you." Tessa said.

"Do you know who it is?" Peyton asked sitting down her sketch pad.

"Nope, she didn't say." Tessa said leaning against the door frame.

"How are you feeling?" Peyton asked

Tessa shrugged

"Alright I guess." She said "I'm going to go lay down." She said closing the door when she left.

Peyton took a second and then picked up the phone.

"Hello?" She said

"Hey Peyton." The voice responded.

"Hey, hang on a minute." Peyton said sitting the phone on her bed and then looking out the window to make sure that Lucas's car wasn't there. "Brooke, I'm back." Peyton said holding the phone back up to her ear. "What's up?"

Peyton had gone back to LA sometime after Spencer was five and Logan was three. She couldn't forget what she saw the day that she was there with Haley. What she saw Brooke was doing for money… so she made some mistakes, everyone had, but in the end they were still best friends, and Peyton always knew that there was no way that she could ever completely cut Brooke off of her list.

"I met Logan." Brooke said in one breath.

"What!" Peyton said shocked

"Yeah, in Tree Hill."

"What are you doing in Tree Hill?" Peyton asked still surprised

"I decided to move back, I thought that it would be better for Katia to grow up there then in LA, but that's not the point. I met her!" Brooke said

From her voice Peyton could not tell if she was excited or terrified.

"How?"

"At the park, she was sitting next to me on a bench." Brooke said waiting to hear Peytons thoughts, but when Peyton said nothing she continued. "She looked exactly like the pictures that you sent me, just older."

"She looks exactly like you…" Peyton said "What are you going to do?"

"I don't know. I don't want her to think that I don't want to get to know her because I do, but I don't want Haley and Nathan to think that I am trying to take her away either because that's not what I want to do… What do you think that I should do Peyt?"

"I can't tell you what to do Brooke. I have no idea what it's like to be in your position, but when all of this comes out it's not going to be pretty. If people find out that we have been talking for the past 13 years…" Peyton said

"I know, I know that Nathan would be furious with you."

"It's not even that Brooke. I really don't regret that I went out to LA to see you, and I don't regret that we still talk."

"Well then what do you mean?" Brooke asked

"I don't know…" Peyton said sinking back into the pillows of the bed. Peyton glanced out of her back window and saw flames. "Um Brooke, gotta go, I see fire in the back yard which means Gunner was there. Love ya, bye!" She said hanging up the phone quickly and then running outside leaving Brooke with a dial tone.

"What am I going to do…" Brooke said to herself hanging up the phone.


	8. A long broken arm of human lawn

I know it's been a long time so here's a much needed update. This chapter is pretty long so read, review and enjoy!

xoxo Jules

* * *

Chapter 8: "The long broken arm of human law"

Aspen walked into the kitchen the next morning to find Logan on the counter eating peanut butter and Jenny and Spencer making out in the window seat.

"Ah, nothing like PDA'S in the morning." Aspen said as she took a seat at the table.

"You want something to eat?"

"Nah, I'm good." Aspen said smiling, before rolling her eyes at Spencer and Jenny. "So when's your grandmother going to show up?"

"Soon." Spencer said pulling away from Jenny momentarily.

Aspen nodded. Logan hopped off of the counter, and grabbed her jacket.

"Where are you going?" Aspen and Spencer asked in unison.

"Um, just out." Logan said secretively

"Oh please, don't pull that Lo, I was sixteen once too." Jenny said trying to sound old and wise. "You're going to see Brooke aren't you?"

"I talked to her yesterday. I was going to go over to her place and meet Katia and stuff." Logan said with an uneasy smile.

"Do you want me to come with?" Aspen asked

"Nah, it's cool." Logan said pulling on a fake smile.

"Brooke looks really familiar, I just can't put my finger on where from…" Spencer said rubbing the new stubble on his chin.

----- Cody jogged behind Hannah.

"Han! Wait up! Where the hell are you going anyway? It's crazy enough that we're out here running at six o clock in the morning on summer vacation, but this whole sprinting thing is taking it a bit far." Cody said as she stopped and rested her hands on her knees breathing deeply. They were now outside of their old elementary school by the playground.

You could see their breath in the air it was so chilly that morning. Both of the girls were dressed warmly in sweats, and the chill had caused Cody's cheeks, and the tip of her nose to turn red.

"Well you said that you wanted to come." Hannah said as she swung around, her eyes looking none too happy.

"Woah man, PMS much?" Cody said laughing, her expression changed when she noticed that her cousin was not laughing. "What's going on Han?"

"What the hell do you think is going on!"

Cody looked at her blankly.

"Hello! Do you not remember two nights ago when you put me in the most awkward position in my life!" Hannah practically yelled.

"Come on." Cody said pulling Hannah by the arm and leading her to the swing set

They sat in silence for awhile.

"Look, I'm sorry if I made you feel uncomfortable, so you and Riv have a thin-" Cody began before Hannah cut her off angrily.

"I don't have a thing for River!"

"Well it just seemed li-"

"Don't assume things Cody!" Hannah yelled.

"Well I'm sorry but when I woke up it seemed like that social worker lady had walked in on something and-"

"Well you thought wrong Cody." Hannah said through gritted teeth.

"Like I said Kid, I really didn't wanna make you feel uncomfortable or anything. But I mean, if there is something with you and River, it's no big deal…" Cody said in a calmer voice

"Well there's not." Hannah said looking at the ground

"Your friends wouldn't care, your family, they wouldn't care." Cody said softly.

"Easy for you to say!" Hannah shot back defensively. "You're parents are Aunt Peyton and Uncle Lucas, and besides nobody would ever think you were gay, you've fucked the entire football team!"

Hannah tried to block the hurt that she saw in Cody's eyes… maybe that was a little low. Cody was only trying to help her in her own way.

"Whatever Han. You do what you want." Cody said getting up from the swing and walking back home with her hands shoved deeply in her pockets.

Hannah roughly pulled her hat down over her ears began to jog, harder and faster this time.

----- Peyton and Lucas sat in their kitchen

"It's been awhile since you've been home." Peyton said not lifting her eyes from her work

"I know, things have been busy at the shop." Lucas said kissing Peytons forehead.

"And things haven't been busy here?" Peyton said for the first time meeting his eye.

"What's going on?" Lucas asked taking a seat across from his wife.

"It's just these kids, I don't know what's going on with them anymore. I remember when Spencer would fall asleep every night in my arms, and now he's on his way out of the house, and Tessa is so sick, and I have no idea where to start between Gunner and Cody." Peyton said desperately putting her head in her hands. "I am just so tired. I feel like I am putting all of this effort into things and have gotten nothing out of it."

"It will be okay." Lucas said taking hold of her hands.

Right then the side door slams and Cody walked in. She stopped, surprised to see her parents there.

"Um, hey." Cody said from where she stood looking nervous for a reason that Peyton nor Lucas could figure.

"Hi." Peyton said simply.

"Where were you Cody?" Lucas asked

"I was out running with Hannah." Cody said leaning against the door frame coolly.

"Well next time would it be too much trouble to tell us." Lucas asked standing up, and walking over to her.

"Um, yeah, fine, whatever." Cody said brushing past him, her arms crossed over her chest.

Lucas cringed at the waft of smoke that could be smelt when his daughter passed. This did not go unnoticed by Peyton either, and if they had looked just a little closer they could have seen the blood beginning to seep through her shirt sleeve.

---- Logan took a deep breath before knocking on an apartment door.

"Hello?" She called through the door when nobody answered.

A minute later the door was opened by a little girl with dark hair and light brown eyes.

"Hi." Katia said in a little voice.

"Hi." Logan responded looking down at the little girl… a spitting image of herself at that age

None of her other siblings really looked like her, they looked like Haley… but Katia…

"Is Brooke here?"

"Yeah." Katia said not backing out of the doorway of the dimly lit apartment. "Are you Logan?" Katia finally asked in the rather blunt way of a child.

"Yeah I am, are you're Katia right?" Logan said trying to be friendly with the little girl, her sister…

"You live with your daddy?" Katia asked finally allowing Logan in.

"Yup." Logan said taking a seat on the couch. Katia, rather small for her age was curled up on the other side of the couch.

"Is he nice?" Katia asked holding tightly to a stuffed duck that was similar to the one that she had as a child.

"He is nice."

"I don't have a daddy." Katia said.

Logan nodded unsure of how to respond to that. Luckily Brooke then walked in.

"Hey Logan. I wasn't expecting you this early." She said glancing at her watch

"Well if you want me to leave I-"

"Of course not!" Brooke said smiling.

Logan smiled at her voice. It was just like her own. Soft and just a little bit raspy… Brooke sat on the end of the couch and Katia curled up on her lap.

"So I forgot to ask you, how long are you going to be here?" Brooke asked

"I'm not really sure. We were supposed to go down and visit Jenny in Florida, but she's here now, and Karen, still isn't back." Logan explained

Katia, having become bored with the conversation ran off to her bedroom.

"So, are you happy with your life?" Brooke asked

Logan thought for a second before answering honestly

"Not really." She took a deep breath "Are you?" She asked Brooke

"Not really…"

---- Haley balanced the laundry basket under her arm. She was walking around Logan and Hannahs room picking up their dirty laundry that she had been telling them for weeks to wash.

She felt around under Logan's bed for any clothes. She stopped when her hand hit a plastic bag… she studied what was in her hand…

"It's just dried up herbs, it's just dried up herbs…" She said as a mantra before she called Nathan up.

"What's wrong?" Nathan asked as he entered the room, Haley held up the bag. "She's dead!" Nathan said, anger flashing across his face.

----- Cody sat on her bathroom floor shaking. She was drenched in a cold sweat. She looked away from the mirror in front of her, she couldn't stand what she saw… she picked up her razor, the sharpest this time and held it to her wrist once again… she pressed it firmly against his skin…

----- Logan sat for a second and looked down at the joint in her hand. She was sitting with Aspen under a playground.

"You alright?" Aspen asked

"Yeah." Logan said lighting up the joint and taking a deep breath inwards…

She just leaned back and relaxed, letting her body slip into complete ecstasy.

----- Peyton sat at Tessa's bedside where she was running a fever. She had no idea where Cody was, and Gunner was grounded so after many fighting matches he was asleep in bed. She watched Tessa closely as she held her clammy hand. She put her head at her daughters side and wept.

Tessa watched her mother, who thought that she was asleep. She hated to see her mother in pain…

----- Karen walked into her house after a long plane ride and switched on the lights.

"Ah!" She screamed as she saw Jenny and Spencer doing unmentionable acts on the couch.

"Karen!" Jenny said scrambling around for her closed that were strewn all over the room.

* * *

**Cliffhanger, Drama... You have to let me know what you think**

**In upcoming chapters:**

** What does Karen do after walking in on Spencer and Jenny?**

** What will Haley and Nathan do about Logan and the weed?**

** Is Cody going to be alright?**

**What is going to happen with Hannah and River?**

** Brooke/Nathan/Haley/Peyton/Luke confrontation**

** Will Peyton and Lukes relationship fizzle out? What about Jake?**

****

**Anything else? Let me know in a REVIEW. Don't like what you see above? Let me know in a review!**

**xoxo Jules**


	9. Now it always seemed such a waste

Here is another chapter. It's been awhile for all of my stories but I got this muse or something and I've just been flowing with this stuff so I hope you guys like it. This is an intense chap lol. It picks up with the Logan/Naley storyline. I will continue more where i left the other cliffhangers in the next chap. Read and Review!

xoxo Jules

* * *

Chapter 9: "Now it always seemed such a waste" 

Karen sat and stared at the four teens who now say at her kitchen table.

"So this is a nice… surprise. I um, I guess that we must have gotten the dates mixed up or something…" Karen said nervously

"Um, yeah, I guess so." Spencer said looking up at his grandmother.

The relationship between Karen and Spencer was the exact same that she had with her son many years before.

"I'm sorry about before…" Jenny began. She had not been able to look Karen in the eye since she walked in on she and Spencer.

"We'll talk about it later." Karen said. "So how have you been Logan?"

"Good." Logan said shortly.

Suddenly the doorbell ringing cut the awkward tension.

"I'll get it!" Everyone said at the same time.

They all paused and looked back and forth to on another.

"I'll get it." Karen finally said taking authority and standing to open the door for the unknown guest. "Coming!" She yelled as she had jogged to the door. "Nathan, Haley?" Karen asked quizzically as she stared at the two angry looking adults before her. "Is everything okay?"

"No it's not okay, I need to find my daughter so I can kick her ass!" Nathan said charging into the house.

"Nathan!" Haley said trailing behind him trying to calm him down.

"Mom, Dad?" Logan said entering the living room from the kitchen very confused. "What's going on?" She asked when her dad tossed the bag of weed on the floor in front of her.

"You tell me!" Nathan said.

"Oh shit…" Aspen muttered from where she sat in the kitchen as she watched the scene unfold in front of her.

"Dad, that's not mine!" Logan quickly lied, but her parents knew her too well.

"Bullshit Logan! We already talked to Hannah. She told us everything." Nathan yelled.

"Oh really? I swear to god when I get home I'm going to kill her!" Logan yelled turning her back to her father.

"Don't turn your back to me!" Nathan said grabbing her by the shoulders and swinging her around. "Your mother and I are worried to death about you!" Nathan yelled

"She's not my mother!" Logan screamed back pushing her father off of her…

And with that said the room became quiet… you could only hear the shocked gasps that escaped them all one by one.

Logan looked up at Haley… her mother. She had never seen her look so hurt in her life. Logan couldn't stand to see her mother so pained, so broken, all because of her.

She put her hands up in the air, tears escaping from her eyes.

"I can't do this anymore." Logan said running out the back door.

Karen looked at Haley, her surrogate daughter sympathetically as she sunk her head and made her way up the stairs before anyone could see her cry.

Nathan looked up at Aspen, Spencer, and Jenny helplessly.

"Do you have any idea where she would have gone?" He asked

"Um, maybe the park…" Aspen offered knowing in her heart that probably wasn't where Logan ran to…

"Thanks." Nathan said grabbing his keys and heading out.

--- Nathan drove for hours looking for Logan, and yet there was no sign of her… anywhere. He called back to the house.

"Hello?" Spencer said when he heard the phone ring.

"Spencer? Has Logan come back yet?"

"No, sorry Uncle Nate." Spencer said.

"Spencer, if you have any idea where she would have gone you need to tell me." Nathan said almost pleading.

Spencer sighed.

"All that I've got's an address in her bag." He said finally giving in.

"Great, give it to me." Spencer read off the address. "By the way Spencer who's address is this?" Nathan asked

Spencer hesitated….

--- Nathan pounded on the door, there was no response. He pounded on it again.

"Hello!" Brooke said when she opened the door, shocked to see the man that she hadn't seen in over 16 years. The father of her daughter.

"Where the hell is she?" Nathan asked pushing into the apartment.

"She's in the bedroom." Brooke said. "What's going on?"

"My daughters a pot head that's what's going on." Nathan said through gritted teeth.

"Look Nathan, I think that you need to calm down and talk to her." Brooke said

"Don't you try to play mother now Brooke, that times come and gone." Nathan said angrily

"Don't take it out on her because you're mad at me!" Logan said as she stormed out of the room.

"Logan, don't you ever run out on your mother and I like that ever again!"

Logan flinched at the mention of her mom. The one that she had just hurt so bad.

"Or what dad? What are you going to do to me? You expect me to be perfect? Well newsflash, I'm not! I haven't been since I smoked my first joint when I was thirteen dad. I'm not your little girl anymore!" Logan said breathing heavily.

Nathan was shocked by his daughters words. How had this gone on so long and nobody knew about it? He stood in shock as he watched his daughter flee again leaving he and Brooke in what was to say the least an awkward position…

--- Logan ran through the park struggling to catch her breath. It was a full moon, and the stars had never looked so beautiful that Logan could wish for nothing more than to join them. She plopped down on a bench in the moonlight not aware that she had company.

"Figures we'd both end up here." A familiar voice from next to her came.

Logan turned to see her mothers face looking away from hers. They sat in an awkward silence momentarily.

"I'm sorry." Logan said in a small voice.

Haley didn't responded… Even in the dark she could see tears silently slipping down her mothers cheek.

"I'm sorry…" She tried again

"What did we do wrong Lo? Huh? Were your dad and I that horrible parents?"

"No, no mom, of course not!" Logan said her voice raising

"Well was it that we had to many kids? Did you feel like you didn't have enough attention or something?" Haley asked her daughter looking for answers

"No mom, I love the kids." Logan said with her head in her hands.

"Then what is it Logan? Why have you become so pissed off at the world all of the sudden?!"

"Because I don't know who the hell I am mom! My life is just so confusing right now, I can't even explain it! I am just tired of everything, I'm tired of the pressure. I'm tired of living these double lives! The tutor girl by day, party girl by night."

Haley sighed when she heard her daughter speak. It was as though she and Brooke were trapped in the same body, two totally different personalities, equally confused.

"Why didn't you tell me this Logan?" Haley asked now turning towards her daughter.

"I didn't want to hurt you." She said honestly looking away. "I want to be perfect for you, even more than I do dad! I don't want to disappoint you mom. You didn't have to raise me, but you did because you love me more than anyone… You don't have to love me but you do and that means so much to me." Logan said now bawling as her mother pulled her into a hug.

"Logan, nobody forced me to love you. I have always loved you, and I still will even if you mess up. When I was younger my parents weren't happy about everything that I did either!" Haley smiled

"You mean you smoked pot to?" Logan asked her mother in surprise

"No, worse." Haley said grinning "I dated your father." She said winking.

A wide smile spread across Logans face. Brookes smile. Haley ran her finger over her daughters dimples.

"Have I ever told you how much you look like your mother?" Haley asked Logan

Logan was taken aback by the question. In all of her life they never discussed Brooke. She didn't know anything about her other than what Peyton would slip with sometimes giving her all the confirmation that she needed that her mother had been a party girl.

"No…" Logan said unsure of exactly how to respond.

"You do. She was beautiful."

"Were you friends?" Logan asked

"Sometimes." Haley said smiling.

"Do you hate her after everything?" Logan asked

"Nope. Never."

"How could you not hate her?"

"She gave me you." Haley said winking. "I am going to tell you something that I never told anyone." Haley began

Logan nodded knowing that this was going to be intense.

"Peyton and I went to LA, and we found Brooke right when we all got you. And she said something to me that I will never forget. She told me "I love my daughter. She deserves better than me. Better than this life. The only thing that I ask of you is to not hold my mistakes against my daughter. … just please, treat her like a mother would." If she hadn't said those things to me I wouldn't be the mother that I am today. Brooke helped me more than she will ever know." Haley said smiling and tussling Logan's hair.

"Can I tell you something?"

"Anything babe." Haley said smiling and now more relaxed

"I met Brooke, she's in Tree Hill…"

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**What'd ya think? Let me know. Yanno that purple little box that says review in it? Well I know a secret, it just loves to be clicked ;)**

**xoxo Jules**


	10. She always had a pretty face

Hey. Sorry for the delay. My mind has been reeling with so many new story ideas its hard to focus on the ones that I have... eh lol. Anyhow this ones rolling along. Please review. I will love you forever!

xoxo Jules

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Chapter 10: "She always had a pretty face"

Cody sat in her bedroom with her knees pulled to her chest rocking back and forth humming a soft tune in her head. Her eyes were distant and glazed over. Fresh cuts on her wrists were hidden by her sleeves.

Someone knocked on the door. Cody didn't respond. Another knock, no response.

"Co-Co?" Hannah said as she pushed her way through the door. "I'm sorry if you-re bu-"

Cody cut her off

"I thought that you were my mother." She said facing her eyes towards the door where her cousin stood.

Hannah nodded not quite understanding. She stepped towards Cody's bed and sat beside the girl that had made no effort to welcome her.

"Watcha doing here?" Cody asked

"Coming to see my favorite cousin." Hannah said playfully shoving Cody in the shoulder. Unfortunately Cody wasn't in such a playing mood.

There was an awkward silence. Finally Hannah let out a sigh.

"So maybe I haven't been completely honest with you." Hannah finally spoke up. Cody didn't speak, she just turned to face her cousin. "Maybe there's something with River… I'm not sure. It's so confusing."

Cody let out a grin slightly satisfied.

"So what do you think you're going to do?" Cody asked

Hannah shrugged

"I'm not really sure yet. I think I have a lot of decisions to make." Hannah lightly yanked on of Cody's blonde curls. "What's been going on with you Co-Co?"

"Nothing." Cody said a little too quickly

"Come on Cody. I know you better than that. You can't expect me to come here and be honest with you when there is so much that you are hiding from me!" Hannah said becoming frustrated.

"I just don't feel like talking about it right now." Cody said leaning back against her bed frame.

Hannah sighed and got up from her bed.

"River, Canyon and I are going to a movie tonight. You're coming. I'll be here at 5:30, be ready." Hannah said and with that she left.

--- Peyton entered Gunners room where he was sitting on the bed staring out of the window.

"Hey buddy." She said joining him on the bed.

Peyton still looked young for her 32 years, and still at times behaved the same way.

"What's up kiddo?" She asked

"Nothin'." Gunner said with his eyes still pointed towards the sky.

"Watcha thinking about?"

"Getting away from here." Gunner said honestly

"What do you mean?" Peyton asked becoming concerned

"Getting away from here. Being somewhere else. Somewhere where I have friends and people aren't afraid of me."

"People aren't afraid of you Gunner." Peyton said running her fingers through her sons golden locks. He looked so much like Spencer had at his age.

"Yeah mom, they are." Gunner said getting up from his bed and grabbing his skateboard. "You mind if I go to the skate park?" He asked

"Go ahead." Peyton said with a weak smile before tossing him a ten dollar bill. "Be careful."

"I will." Gunner said heading towards the stairs.

Peyton drove to the "Scott Motors", repair shop where she found Lucas hunched over some car, grease marks on his face. This had been a welcome site to her a long time ago, but now other things mattered more.

"I thought that you were going to be home for lunch." Peyton said leaning against the car.

"Oh hey!" Lucas said standing up wiping his face with a towel. "I was going to but I'm we got a shipment of parts and I got sidetracked."

"To sidetracked to be with your family?" Peyton asked

"You know it's not like that Peyton!" Lucas said

Peyton sighed

"I think it might be good for Gunner to go stay with your mother for awhile. Once the school year starts maybe." Peyton suggested.

Lucas looked at her in confusion

"Why? Gunner is fine where he is! And besides he is a handful, he's always getting into trouble."

"Maybe that's why he's so angry Luke. Look at what everyone thinks about him, and he knows it! We're even guilty of looking at him as a problem. You have never looked at Gunner the same way that you have Spencer. He sees it Luke. He needs a new start. Tree Hill would be good for him."

"What are you trying to do Peyton? Accuse me of playing favorites among my sons? I would never do that!" Lucas yelled defensively

"You may not know it Lucas but you do."

"This talk is over Peyton, my son is not going anywhere." Lucas said

"Since when do you make the final decisions around here Lucas? We have always talked this stuff out." Peyton said crossing her arms over her chest. "I have no idea what's happened to us lately but you're never home, you don't even know your children!"

"Peyton!" Lucas called as she walked away.

"Don't Luke. I think that we both have some things to think about." She said

--- Tessa was sitting at the kitchen table when Hannah walked in followed by River, Canyon, Rivers twin brother, and Cassie, Nathan and Haleys daughter who was the same age as Tessa.

"Do you know if Cody's ready?" Hannah asked her younger cousin

"I donno, you guys can go up to her room and check." Tessa said gesturing towards the stairs.

"Cool." Canyon said as the three older kids went upstairs and Cassie stayed behind with Tessa.

"How are you feeling?" Cassie asked Tessa who for the first time was not pale looking or even very sick.

"Alright." Tessa said smiling "How are you?"

"Alright. My parent's went to Tree Hill last night."

"Really why?" Tessa asked

"I don't know."

"So did you guys get to stay home alone?" Tessa asked

"No, mom and dad got uncle Jake to stay with us." Cassie said flinging her red hair over her shoulder

"Uncle Jake is in town?" Tessa asked in surprise. The first person that he saw was usually her mother.

"Yeah. Right now he's off with Becca, Kylie Rhea, and the twins." Cassie explained "Where's your mom?" Cassie asked.

"I don't know. She went to visit my dad at the shop awhile ago, but I don't know where she is now." Tessa said

"How long haven't you been able to find her?" Cassie asked

"I donno, about an hour or two…"

--- Cody, Canyon, River, and Hannah walked to the movie theater, Hannah and River in the front, and Cody and Canyon trailing somewhere behind.

"Alright?" Canyon asked Cody shoving her shoulder lightly.

"Yeah." Cody said looking at the boy rolling her eyes.

"So, what do you think is up with your cousin and my sister?" Canyon asked Cody bluntly but lowering his voice so that they couldn't hear.

"I don't know what you are talking about." Cody lied crossing her arms over her chest.

"Aw come on Co-Co, you know what I'm talking about." Canyon pressed

"You know that it's none of our business." She snapped back

"Ouch. What's going on with you." Canyon asked pretending to be upset.

"Nothing." Cody said staring off into space.

Canyon always knew that Cody was different, but it was always a good different, until lately that is. Something was going on, and he was determined to get to the bottom of it.


	11. I wonder how she hung around this place

And here goes another one. I hope you like.

xoxo Jules

* * *

Chapter 11: "I wonder how she hung around this place" 

Logan sat on the couch across from both of her parents. None of them had spoken, they were waiting for Brooke to arrive so they could all "talk". When Brooke finally appeared at the door Nathan arose.

"Logan, go up to your room for a second. Your mom and I need to talk to Brooke alone for awhile."

The look of protest in Logan's eyes didn't change Nathans decision, so Logan trudged upstairs, then Nathan opened the door.

"Hey." Brooke said crossing her arms over her chest

"Hey." Nathan and Haley both said. "You can come in." Nathan added

They all sat on the couch, for a moment or two in awkward silence.

"So…" Haley began "You're back."

"Yeah. I um, I moved back from LA about a year and a half ago. I figured that it would be better for Kat." Brooke said, her voice still light and raspy.

"Who's Kat?" Haley asked

"She's my six year old daughter." Brooke said

Haley just nodded with her lips pursed together.

"Look guys, I just really don't what you guys to think that I am trying to take Logan away from you or anything like that. If you don't want me to see her I won't. I made a choice, and I have always regretted it until now." Brooke confessed

"What do you mean until now?" Nathan asked

"Until now I realize that I left her with the best parents she could have had. You raised her well. She seems like a really awesome kid. At that place in my life I just couldn't have done it. I barely get by just taking care of Katia." Brooke sighed. "And Haley took care of her when she didn't have to, so I can't come here and demand that you allow me be a part of her life when you don't owe me anything. I owe you."

"Yeah, you do." Nathan snapped

"Nathan!" Haley said shoving him in the arm

"You live here in Tree Hill, we live in New York." Nathan said

Brooke nodded

"I understand that."

"Brooke, Haley and I talked, and we don't mind you being a part of her life, as long as she doesn't. But honestly if you think about running out again that's it. I don't want my daughter heartbroken."

"I don't want that either." Brooke said

"Logan!" Haley called upstairs.

"Coming!" Logan said as she headed down the stairs, a perfect image of Brooke at that age. "Hey." She said to Brooke

"Hi." Brooke said with a smile

"Sit down Lo." Nathan said, Logan took a seat

"Yeah dad?"

"We just all talked… about well, everything. It's really up to you at this point what you want to do from here. If you want to know Brooke… or go back to the way things were…"

"I don't think that after all of this dad we can go back to the way things "were"."

"Oh yeah, that's right, you're getting drug tested every month from now on." Haley said

"Aw mom, come on, that is totally so unfair." Logan complained

"Well unfortunately it's not your choice." Haley said exercising her inner mom.

Brooke smirked at the exchange.

"I just want -" Logan began "I want to know Brooke but I really don't want to hurt mom."

"It's fine honey honestly." Haley said "I will love you regardless."

"I want to know Katia too." Logan said looking over to Brooke

"She would love to get to know you too."

Lucas walked into Nathan and Haley's house closing the door behind him.

"Jake?" He asked in surprise

"Hey man!" Jake said giving him a manly hug

"What are you doing in town? I thought that Nathan and Hales would be here." Lucas said looking around for them

"They had to run out to Tree Hill." Jake said

"Is everything okay?" Lucas asked concerned

"Yeah! Everything's cool."

"They found weed in her room." Rebecca said as she walked into the room holding a twin in each arm caked with mud.

"Oh." Lucas said shortly

"I found a frog Uncle Jake!" Gabe said holding up the green slimy animal in Jakes face

"That's nice Pal, why don't you put him outside and then you guys get in the bath, or shower, or spray yourselves with the hose or something."

"Kay!" The boys said in unison as they ran back outside

Jake held up his hands

"I just don't know how they do it." He tossed Luke a beer. "So what are you doing here?"

"I'm pretty sure that I'm in the dog house." Lucas said

"Oh Peyton." Jake said laughing. "What happened?"

"I have no idea. It's just everything. I don't feel like we even know each other anymore." Lucas said

"So this is like serious?" Jake asked

"Yeah, I guess it is. It's been this way for like a year." Lucas told him "I don't know what to do anymore. I don't want to be like my father and just like give up on the situation, but I'm not so sure there's much left to try at this point."

"Try talking to her." Jake suggested

"We talked, we fought. It ended with my suitcase on the porch."

"And when was this?"

"About 15 minutes ago." Luca said with a sigh.

Right then Jakes cell phone rang

"It's Peyton." He said looking at the number and the Lucas.

"You can take it." Lucas told him turning back to the basketball game.

"Alright." Jake said leaving the room. "Peyt, are you okay? …. No it's okay, no, I'll be over in a minute, don't worry….. No, no, alright,…… well then I'll meet you there…… Okay, well they'll be there soon just stay calm. She'll be alright. He's with me now…. But Peyton…… Peyt I should tel- …. But….. Okay okay! ……….. I get it. I wont……. Alright……… it will be okay….. Just calm down……. Okay, I won't!" Jake hung up the phone.

Lucas wasn't paying attention the to conversation. He was too involved in the game.

"Hey Luke, I've got to run for a bit, will you be fine here with the kids?" Jake asked grabbing his jacket

"Yeah, no problem. Is everything alright?"

"Yeah it's fine." Jake said

He ran out of the house and jumped into his car heading for the hospital.

* * *

**What happened? lol, R&R**

**xoxo Jules**


	12. Come on try a little

This fic is back from haitus and it is back pretty stong. A kind of intense chapter and a very surprise ending. you've got to read and review.

xoxo Jules

* * *

Chapter 12: Come on try a little 

Jake rushed into the emergency room to find Peyton talking to one of the doctors.

"Is everything okay?" Jake asked "Where are the kids!"

"Tessa and Gunner are at home." Peyton said wiping her eyes

"Is Cody going to be alright?" Jake asked Peyton as he pulled her into a hug

"Yeah, she just needed stitches." Peyton said

"So what happened?"

"I guess she was at the movies with Hannah and River and then she started bleeding through her shirt and she fainted." Peyton explained as she looked away from Jake

"Has she done this before?" Jake asked

"No, I mean, I don't know! I hope not. God I wish she never did it at all… When I was her age I was always on the verge of doing things like this but when it came down to it I couldn-… I mean sure there was the coke, oh my god."

"It's okay." Jake said pulling Peyton into a tight hug as she cried in his arms.

"I really don't know what to do anymore Jake. Spencer is all grown up, he doesn't need me anymore, Gunner is on his way to where Cody is now, and Tessa is just caught up in the middle of this when she is barely well." She wiped tears from her eyes as the Doctor called Peyton back into the ER.

Hannah walked into her house, followed by River. The two were in a trance.

"Uncle Luke?" Hannah said when she saw him on the couch. "What are you doing here?"

"I am just filling in for Jake."

"Oh, I just figured that you would be at the hospital, that's all." Hannah said brushing hair from her face.

"Why would I be at the hospital?" Lucas asked raising himself from the couch.

Hannah and River exchanged glances before River spoke.

When Peyton and Cody returned home they crashed in Lucas and Peytons bed, Cody's head rested on her mothers chest.

"I had no idea Co-Co." Peyton said as she kissed her daughters curly blonde locks lightly.

"It's not your fault mom. I promise, it wasn't." Cody said suddenly feeling guilty for everything that she put her mother through.

"Yeah, but I still don't feel like I know what's going on in any of your lives. I want that to change."

Cody nodded as she began to doze off. Peyton waited until she was completely out before she tucked her in and went to check on her other two children, who were hopefully, by this hour asleep. She didn't understand how Haley did it. She has twice as many children as Peyton and she could tell anybody anything about them. Every detail of their lives, or so it seemed.

Peyton noticed a faint light from under Tessa's door. Peyton lightly knocked on the door before she entered.

"Hey tinker belle. What are you doing up so late?" She sat on the edge of Tessa's bed.

Peyton looked around the room, so innocent the white lace curtains and the baby doll pink walls were. Ballerinas danced across the border on point with perfect form. Tessa sat small and fragile against her big white fluffy pillows and pink comforter. Her room was spotless with porcelain dolls on the shelves and stuffed animals splayed about.

"I was just reading." Tessa say letting her wavy hair hit the pillow, and holding up a worn copy of Alice in Wonderland. Peyton smiled when she saw the book. The same one that her mother had been reading to her when she was a girl… except she had never gotten the chance to finish it.

"You're so different." Peyton said smiling at her daughter.

"What do you mean?" Tessa and with a confused by amused look on her face.

"Well I just mean that I think that you're different than anyone that I've ever met. You just sit back and take things in. You know people well because you take the time. Most adults that I know can't do that. Hell I know I can't." Peyton said smiling

"Have you and Dad been alright?" Tessa asked putting the book on her bedside table.

"I'm not sure sweetie." Peyton asked

"He hasn't been himself lately." Tessa continued. "He is always busy at the shop." She sighed

"What would you think if I told you I was thinking about taking a break from that all for awhile?" Peyton asked

"You mean like separating?" Tessa asked

"Yeah." Peyton said swinging her legs up on the bed and staring at the ceiling just as he thirteen year old daughter was doing.

"I trust you mom. It's your decision." Tessa said turning her head to face her mother who did the same. The identical eyes stared into one another's.

"I love you Tess." Peyton said kissing her daughter on the forehead before leaving.

Next Peyton headed to Gunners room. She knocked a couple of times and then peeked inside. He wasn't there. And then she heard the familiar sound of a basketball hitting the pavement time and time again.

She went outside to see Gunner sinking shot after shot.

"You're really good." Peyton said as she sat on the bench by their driveway, converted into a court when they moved in. "Wanna come talk to me for a minute?"

Gunner shrugged and put the ball under his arm taking a seat beside his mother.

"How come you don't play? I can sign you up for a team?" Peyton offered.

"I got kicked off of the team here, remember mom?"

Peyton sighed. Luke's car pulled up in the drive.

"Why don't you go on upstairs?" She said kissing her sons forehead.

"Night mom."

"Night kid."

Lucas stormed up to Peyton.

"What the hell! How come I didn't know that Cody was in the hospital! I had to hear it from my thirteen year old niece!"

"Well I'm sorry Luke, but Cody needed me and the way that things left off with us I didn't want to get into anything at the hospital!" Peyton said attempting to control her volume.

"We've always had issues to talk about."

"That's the problem Luke. We always have problems to take care of and we can't spend anytime with our children, I can't do it anymore. Our kids deserve at least one of us."

"What are you trying to say?" Luke asked angry at her implications.

"I wasn't there for them, and neither were you." Peyton stated

"You're just wrong, I have ALWAYS been there for my kids."

"Think what you want Luke, but have you ASKED them? I'm making a change with or without you." Peyton said meeting her husbands eyes.

"What are you talking about Peyton?" Lucas asked picked up a stray basketball that had been lying on the ground.

"I'm taking my kids and moving back to Tree Hill." Lucas had never heard Peyton speak so firmly.

Lucas stared Peyton dead in the eye and then threw the basketball in the siding of the house causing it to car before he hopped into his car and sped away.

* * *

**Everyone probably has a different opinion on the Lucas Peyton stuff, but we'll see how it turns out, I mean I know of course, but I guess YOU will see. Review !**

**xoxo Jules**


	13. Nothing is forever

I have the next couple of chapters of this written so those should be up soon. As you all know this is a continuation to Acoustic #3 and reading it like last night I realized that once I had said that Peytons father was dead, and then once I did not. For the purpose of this story he will be alive just because I do what I want. Just letting you guys know for future reference. Read enjoy, and please review!

xoxo Jules

* * *

Chapter 13: Nothing is forever 

The next morning Peyton wakes up at nearly noon to a knock at her door. She jumps out of bed and headed to the door surprised that she could sleep that long. She pushed the memories of everything that had happened with Lucas the night before out of her mind. As she headed downstairs the smell of pancakes flooded the kitchen.

"What took you so long to get up?" Gunner said

"It's no problem. We waited for you to eat." Tessa said smiling from where she sat at the table. "Cody went to get the door."

Cody swung the front door open.

"Hi…" Cody said

Brooke stared back at the girl, a spitting image of her mother.

"Hey, is Peyton around?" Brooke asked nervously

Cody smiled at her mischievously.

"Sure, come on in… Brooke."

Brooke followed the girl with hidden bandages on her arms into the kitchen.

"Mom, you have a visitor." Cody said

"What up P Sawyer?" Brooke said

"OH MY GOD!" Peyton said running over to Brooke throwing her arms around her best friend. "I haven't seen you in years!"

Brooke pulled back from the hug and looked at the group of curly haired children that stared at the two.

"Guys this is Brooke. Brooke these are my spawn, Cody, Tessa, and Gunner. What are you doing here by the way?" Peyton asked

"Well I am living in Tree Hill again but I came for a couple of days to visit with Logan on her turf."

Cody smiled as she watched her mother morph into a sixteen year old girl. She smiled as she headed up the stairs to her room. She could hear rocks being thrown at her window. She opened the window just in time to get hit right in the middle of the head with a small stone.

"Oh my god, are you okay!" Canyon asked from where he stood below her window, squinting to see.

"I'm fine." Cody said rubbing her forehead.

"Oh." Canyon said as he shifted from foot to foot. "So, what's up?"

"You threw rocks at my window to ask me what's up?" Cody said grinning. Canyon was nervous and she could tell. "Hold on, I'll be right down."

"Um, kay." Canyon said

Cody jogged down the stairs.

"Um mom, is it alright if I go on a walk or something real quick?"

Peyton looked at her daughter hesitantly.

"Are you going alone?" She asked

"Um no, I was actually going to go with Canyon."

"You mean River's twin brother Canyon?" Peyton asked raising an eyebrow

"Yeah."

"Um yeah, that'll be fine I guess, just come back in about an hour. I want to talk with you and you brother and sister." Peyton said

"Alright," Cody began heading toward the door, "and mom?"

"Yeah Co-Co?"

"The kids and I heard you and dad's fight last night. We decided that Tree Hill could be alright, Gunner actually smiled." And with that Cody headed out.

Jenny sat on the bed in Karens house, her knees pulled up to her chest as she bit her fingernails.

"Hey, I was looking for you." Spencer said as he sat on the bed beside her. "What's up?" He asked noticing the was that she was gnawing at her fingernails.

"Nothing." Jenny said

"Oh come on Jenny, I've known you forever, don't lie to me like that." Spencer was now beginning to become concerned.

"I was thinking about my mother." Jenny said.

That was something that was rarely talked about, Jenny was fine, more than satisfied with her father. They were each others worlds.

The sun hit the waves of her honey brown hair making it golden in all of the right places. Her bright brown eyes glistened as she focused downward.

"Do you think that people are doomed to repeat their parent's mistakes?" Jenny asked meeting Spencers eyes for the first time. Spencer was now alarmed.

"What are you talking about Jagielski?" Spencer asked pulling her hands from her mouth.

"Remember when you came down to visit spring break, about two months ago?" Jenny asked

"Yeah. It was awesome."

"Do you remember the hotel by the beach, that night when we got back from the club?" She said next hoping that Spencer would get it before she had to say anything else.

"… I… oh my god…" Spencers mind began to race. "That was two months ago Jenny, how the HELL could you not say anything to me about this! I thought that we were closer than that!"

"I wasn't sure Spencer but could you stop fucking screaming at me? It's not just my fault you know!" Jenny said slamming her fists into the mattress.

"I KNOW!"

"THAN WHY ARE YOU STILL YELLING!" Jenny yelled

"I DON'T KNOW WHY ARE YOU STILL YELLING!" Spencer yelled back

"I don't know." Jenny said sinking into the bed in tears "My dad is going to kill us." She said wiping tears from her eyes.

"No, he's just going to kill me." Spencer said kissing her forehead, and rubbed small circles on her back. Something that he had done to comfort her since childhood.

"I'm not angry with my mother anymore." Jenny said, her voice a whisper. "I know how she felt, because all that I want to do right now is disappear."

Canyon and Cody strolled along in the woods.

"So do you want like icecream or something?" He asked again

"I told you Can, I'm fine!" Cody said playfully pushing him in the side. They arrived back at Codys door right where the woods ended.

"So I was wondering." Canyon said when they stopped "I was wondering if you want to get together tomorrow and go see a movie or something." He asked.

Cody smiled as he twitched his equally freckled nose.

"That sounds good." Cody said smiling

"So call me?" Canyon asked

Cody shook her head no, curls bouncing around.

"Right, I'll call you. See ya!" Canyon said walking away, tripping on his feet as he waved.

Cody walked into her house to find her brother and sister sitting on the floor with their mom lounging beside them.

"You have a good time?" Peyton asked as Cody joined them.

"Yeah." She smiled at her little brother who seemed angry that she was out with a boy.

"So I guess you all know what I want to talk to you about."

"Tree Hill is fine mom. Grandma Karen is there, and it's not that far away." Tessa was the first to speak

"Yeah mom." Gunner said not wanting to show his desire to leave the town that hated him as much as he hated it.

"But you guys have to be sure. You're cousins are here, and your friends." Peyton said

"We know mom, but they're always going to be our cousins and are friends. And besides I can drive soon!" Cody said winking at her mom. A chill ran through Peytons body at the thought of her eldest daughter behind the wheel.

"Another thing, you're dad will probably be here, and if he does go to Tree Hill he might not be living with us." Peyton explained.

"We get it mom." Cody said speaking for her younger siblings.

Peyton smiled wondering how she had raised such semi-decent children.

"Well then, I think the day after tomorrow I will head out to Tree Hill just to check things out."

"What are we going to do while you are gone?" Tessa asked

"You and Co-Co are going to stay here with Uncle Jake babe, and Gunner is going to come with me." Peyton said stroking Tessa's hair

"Dad's not gonna stay with us?" Cody asked surprised at how fast he had disappeared from the picture. She had heard and seen the fight between he and her mother the night before. She saw her dad throw the basketball and break the siding on the house. It had scared her a little bit.

"I'm not sure." Peyton said "I just don't know right now."

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**Right now I feel like I smell really gross... ANYHOW, review, good times. Jenny and** **Spencer:O**

**xoxo Jules**


	14. Theres got to be somethin better than

Something is wrong with the cookies on my computer and it has been causing problems with this site. I am trying to work on it now and update chapters that I have had saved for the past couple ofMONTHS or so. Thanks for the patience. Please review!

xoxo Jules

BTW: I dont recall whether or not I said that Peytons father had died, but hewill bein this story more likely than not.

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Chapter 14: "There's got to be something better than in the middle" 

Peyton leaned back and took a long drag of her cigarette. She had never imagined that life could get so hard. She had been to hell and back though for her children. She had dropped out of school and worked until her feet bled to keep food on the table and a roof over Spencers head, and then Lucas came and everything seemed like it would never be that hard again. He was her protection, her safety. He still was, they just needed to focus on their children. Their fighting and growing apart was only hurting their kids.

"Hey." A voice came from behind her. The same voice that she had fallen in love with years before in the mist of high school madness.

"Hey." Peyton said stomping out her cigarette. "I'm trying to quit, I swear." She said shooting Lucas a small smile.

"I know." Lucas said sitting on the park bench beside her.

"Tomorrow Gunner and I are going to Tree Hill to check things out. My dad is still there, . I think that I'm going to head back there, find a job yanno." Peyton said not meeting her husbands eyes.

"When are you going to leave?" Lucas asked

"The end of Summer. I just want to give the kids some more time here with their friends and all yanno?" Peyton said now squinting in the sunlight to look at Lucas. "I feel like I have a lot to make up for with them."

"Is this about Tessa?" Lucas asked

Peyton tensed up when Lucas mentioned Tessa. Nobody ever really talked about why Tessa was the way she was. Ever since she was a baby she was so sick, and had a severe immune deficiency due to the fact that she was extremely underdeveloped at her birth, or at least that's what they called it. Whenever Peyton looked at her daughter, innocent, fragile, she blamed herself. She blamed herself for smoking during the pregnancy.

"Yes, no, I don't know Luke! I mean some of it has gotta be, but now it is about so much more than that. It's about the fact that Tessa is just getting sicker, and Cody is spiraling downward, and poor Gunner hates ever damn day in this town and there's nothing that I can do to stop it Luke. Shit, we haven't even been around to try!" Peyton said breathless from her rant

"I want to be there for our kids too Peyt, but I can't do that if you guys are in Tree Hill. Please, just stay here."

"Lucas I need to get away from this place, all of us do. I never thought that I was going to be the one to flee back to Tree Hill but in retrospect it wasn't that horrible! Luke you can come with us…"

"The shop is here Peyton, I would never be able to support this family if I left now." Lucas said pained

"I know." Peyton said putting her head in her hands. "I know."

"I guess we each know what we have to do, for at least now anyway." Lucas said kissing her softly.

"Yeah, I guess we do. I love you." Peyton said looking up at her husband with a tear glistening in the corner of her eye.

"I love you too."

Spencer sat in the waiting room of the Tree Hill free clinic. He played with the zipper of his grey hoodie as he slouched back in his chair. Jenny had come in for a checkup.

Spencer watched as the familiar girl flew by him, her arms wrapped around herself. He squinted as the bright sun hit his eyes.

"Jenny!" He said chasing after her, "Jenny!" He tried again.

Ever so slowly Jenny turned to meet Spencer with tear stained eyes. Spencer had wanted to go back to the doctors with her, and be with her through everything… She hadn't let him.

"Are you okay?" Spencer asked shoving his hands into his pockets and looking at the ground unsure of what to do or say.

"Am I OKAY?" Jenny asked "Seven tests all pink and a conformation just minutes ago by a doctor and you ask me if I'm OKAY!" Jenny bit her lower lip as she shifted her eyes downward. "I just need some time alone right now alright?" She asked meeting Spencers blue eyes.

"Yeah." Spencer said nodding rubbing the stubble that had just began to form below his chin

"Alright." Jenny said kissing him on the cheek before she headed in the other direction.

Peyton kept her eyes on the road as she pulled into Tree Hill with Gunner in the seat beside her. She slowed to a stop when they reached her childhood home where her father still resided.

"Ready?" Peyton asked Gunner as they stepped out of the car.

"Yeah." Gunner said stepping out of the car slinging his backpack over one shoulder. "Is grandpa here?"

"Should be." Peyton said pushing the door open to her old house. She was surprised to see Spencer sitting alone on the couch with his head in his hands. "Spence?" Peyton asked as she sat down her bag and approached her son. "You alright?"

When Spencer didn't respond Peyton sent Gunner upstairs to pick out which room he wanted.

"What's going on Spencer?" Peyton asked sitting down on the couch next to her teenage son.

Spencer slowly lifted his head from his hands and looked at his mother. His eyes were red and tired.

"Spence…" Peyton said. She had never seen her son like that before.

"I did something really stupid." Spencer said trying to contain himself not wanting to become hysterical.

"What happened?" Peyton asked figuring already that it had something to do with Jenny.

"I, … well, I mean, I never thought that I would have-, it's just… Jenny's pregnant mom." Spencer said finally meeting his mothers eye.

He was surprised when he didn't get a reaction from her, not at first at least, but it was almost more scary that her yelling.

"How could you let this happen Spencer? HOW?" Peyton yelled

"I didn't mean-" Spencer began but he was cut off by his mother

"What have I told you your entire life? What have I stressed this entire time? I never wanted you to have to go through what we did! I told you time and time again Spence. You have no idea what is in store for you." Peyton said resisting the urge to yell.

"It's going to be fine mom, we'll get married and we will finish school and I will get a job!"

"How Spencer? Huh? It seems so easy in your head. You're a child!" Peyton said trying to portray the gravity of the situation to him.

"Well you did it didn't you?" Spencer asked putting his head back in his hands.

"Yeah I did… barely. It was the hardest thing that I ever did Spencer, watching you go without, watching you have to sit in a stuffy diner all day, not being able to give you everything that you deserve. Don't think that means for a moment I regret having you, I just wish that you had come in a time in my life where I was ready, where I was grown up. I was raising myself and you at the same time… I just don't want you, or Jenny to have to struggle." Peyton said forcing back tears

"I'm sorry mom." Spencer said looking at his stone faced mother

Peyton sighed.

"How is Jenny doing?" She asked easing back into the couch

"I don't know. She's just wanted to be alone since we found out yanno?" Spencer said

Peyton looked at her distraught son. He was only seventeen, the age that she had been.

"She's going to need you." Was all that Peyton could say

"I know, she's just not letting me be there." Spencer sighed. "By the way mom, what are you doing here?"

With everything that had been going on she had somehow failed to mention that she was moving back to Tree Hill.

"Your dad and I have been having some issues and so we're taking a little break."

"When you say taking a break is that indefinite?" Spencer raised his eyebrow

"No, I never said that, it's just a break."

"So you are here visiting?" Spencer asked

"No…" Peyton said drawing out her words "I am here with Gunner to show him around before we move."

"What! You are moving to Tree Hill!" Spencer said in shock

"Yerp, at the end of the summer."

"How are Gunner and the girls handling it?"

"Pretty well actually." She brushed a curl from in front of her eye. "I think that Gunner and Cody need a change and Tessa … well Tessa is Tessa." Peyton smiled thankful for the easy nature of her youngest daughter.

Spencer nodded.

"What about Dad… what's he going to do?"

"I don't know hun, I guess that's for your dad to figure out." Peyton sighed and then smirked.

"What?" Spencer asked

"Nothing," She smirked again, "it's just that I am too young to be a grandmother."


End file.
